


Accidental Bloom

by AngelsForeverIntertwined



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Tragedy, Anorexia, Bulimia, Comfort, Dysfunctional Family, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Eating Disorders, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Family Issues, Forgiveness, Gay, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Minor Original Character(s), Nonbinary Character, Original Character(s), Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Other, Secrets, Self-Harm, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Tragedy, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:51:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 19
Words: 56,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26680171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelsForeverIntertwined/pseuds/AngelsForeverIntertwined
Summary: It is no secret that Sakura often feels inadequate. But when she decides to make the mature choice of resigning from her team, will the bud ever have the chance of becoming a beautiful flower? Non-massacre AU. Non-Kyuubi attack. Sakura-centric.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke
Comments: 14
Kudos: 139





	1. The Realization

Sakura was lying on her bed looking absently at the ceiling. Her fingers were interwoven over her stomach. It grumbled with months of starvation. 

It was another less than stellar day after a mission. 1. Team 7 got a mission. 2. An enemy ninja popped up. 3. Naruto and Sasuke handled it while Sakura stood idle in a corner somewhere. 4. Kakashi congratulated them without sparing her a glance. 5. The mission is completed and they all go home. It was all so draining. 

The vast difference in power dynamics of her team had only grown since the Wave mission and Sakura just knew that she would never be able to catch up to them. 

Always cursed to be the one left behind, huh? 

Sakura rolled over to her side. She looked around her room. It was just so childish. Stuffed bears, impractical girly clothes that did nothing to help her during missions, and overwhelming amounts of pink. She sighed to herself. There was no way in hell she was fit to be a ninja and she was too stubborn to admit it to herself for so long. Even her infatuation with Sasuke was fading. She only continued the act at this point to keep a sense of normalcy. 

Sakura guessed that this all started with her and Ino’s rivalry. Ino had mentioned one day in passing the year before that she was slimming down nicely. The ludicrous idea of two 11 year old girls being on a diet did nothing to deter them, especially the competitive Sakura who wanted nothing more than to prove that she could succeed at something. Much to Ino’s ignorance, Sakura had continued this “competition” and it was affecting her greatly. 

For the first six months, no changes were present in her body. Sakura was untrained, ill-informed, and lacked the discipline to eat a specialized meal plan for more than a day. It was frustrating and it was something that she reluctantly let Ino win. The diet was forgotten for a while until she finally started Team 7. 

While she rejoiced being on a team with Sasuke at first, she was beginning to realize how detrimental he was to her self-esteem and confidence. It would be hard for anyone to integrate into a team with the son of the Fourth Hokage and the esteemed Uchiha clan. Others might have fared better than her though. She was just an insecure girl with no familial affiliation with ninjas or outstanding skills. She was a brilliant girl, but susceptible to following those she thought better than her. 

Sakura balled her fists together until her nails dug into her skin until she drew blood. She watched it drip down her hand until it dropped to the floor. Tears collected in her eyes. She wiped at them furiously, but that didn’t stop the pathetic whimpers she let out. 

She thought it was a cruel joke to have put her on a team like this. She didn’t stand a chance at becoming a ninja. 

Kakashi, as acclaimed as he was in the ninja world, was far from teacher material and he knew it. Sakura hated seeing the way he was so dismissive of them, especially her. It was obvious he didn’t expect much of her and the only time she would be trained was if she happened to be in the same vicinity as the rest of her team. Never one on one as her teammates got to do. 

He noticed she was smart, but wrote her off as some lovesick girl with no future. Even if it was true, she felt that there was still no reason to neglect teaching her since that was his job now no matter how much he obviously hated doing it. The most he ever asked her to do was intervene when Naruto and Sasuke started arguing. She hadn’t had the energy to do it lately and her resentment towards Kakashi was growing every day. 

The mission to Waves was the beginning of the end for her. He noted her proficiency in chakra control, but only as a sexist ploy to motivate Naruto and Sasuke’s training. Once that exercise was over, he made no move to give her something else to occupy her time and she ended up back at the resident’s house to cook. It hadn’t bothered her at the time, but just being alone with her thoughts for a moment thinking about all the ways he failed her made her stomach drop. 

It didn’t make it any better that Sasuke’s tongue cut like a knife. He’d find any and every way to belittle her. She took his comments as constructive criticism, but no matter how much she tried to train on her own he was just relentless. Standing back and finally looking at the boy she told herself she loved was hard. All those things she’d idolized in him before were now markers of his insensitivity. 

She guessed she couldn’t blame him though. Living in your more successful, prodigal older brother’s shadow had to be hard especially with pressure from his family and high expectations from outsiders. 

Naruto, with more time spent around him, was actually lovably annoying. He didn’t bother her as much when she slowly stopped idolizing Sasuke, but he could definitely work on his volume. His father is the Fourth Hokage and known across the land for his immense power and wit. He was currently under his father’s tutelage. It didn’t hurt that his mother was a member of the Uzumaki clan known for immense chakra reserves and great sealing skills. He was destined to be great and she now believed that he would be. 

However, even with all his great assets, he still did nothing to boost Sakura’s self-worth. Sakura was sure that his love for her didn’t extend past his rivalry with Sasuke. She was just another conquest in his pursuit to best Sasuke. Although Sakura could now see them slowly becoming great friends, she wished that he would stop babying her. If Sasuke completely denied of her any ninja skill and Kakashi ignored her in favor of his more powerful students, than Naruto hid his disdain for her weakness by his incessant need to coddle her. 

Even when Sakura tried to get involved in a fight, he was always there to swoop in in front of her and “save the day”. It was hard to be mad with him because she was such a terrible ninja and he had a heart of gold, but she just sometimes wished that he believed in her enough to let her handle herself. 

This slow realization of the depth of her inadequacies had lead her into a terrible bout of depression. Her terrible dieting habits from her rivalry with Ino suddenly turned into a beacon of discipline. Since being on the team, she had started stress eating more than usual. Even her mother had made a remark about her weight gain. After an offhand comment made by Ino after a mission, Sakura had gone into overdrive. 

She justified it to continue. She was gaining weight and that wouldn’t help her anymore since she was already such a deadweight to her team. She reasoned that losing weight would help her team carry her when they inevitably had to save her on a mission. 

The first few weeks were the hardest. It was hard to walk, her head hurt all the time, and she was often dizzy. They voiced their concerns, but she always dismissed them.   
Not like they really care anyway. 

She started by cutting out snacks from her diet. She didn’t realize how many she ate until she started going through sugar withdrawals in the first week. Once she got past that plateau, she cut out carbs. She found herself perpetually hungry and had to force herself to stay in her room to avoid getting more food. From then on she cut out salty foods, then meats, then fats, until she realized that if she could do without all of that, then she didn’t need to eat anything at all. 

It was a fun game to play. Seeing how far she could she go before she got sick was well documented in her diaries. Being able to go back to read how far she’d come in the past six months was extremely gratifying. But she just couldn’t make herself happier. No matter how much weight she lost, it was never enough. There were times where her teammates and peers seemed to be catching on and trying to keep up with all her lies was exhausting. 

Take this afternoon for example. It was another mission of busy work finding the cat of a merchant’s wife. The entire ordeal was wrapped up rather quickly and it was lunchtime when they reported back to the Hokage. Just like countless times before, Naruto had asked her if she wanted to eat at Ichiraku’s ramen shop. 

She fixed her mouth to decline when Kakashi, for the first time in a long while, decided to act like a teacher and offered to pay for everyone’s meals. Naruto whooped with joy and Sasuke made a slight head nod in agreement. They all turned and looked at her expectantly. She remembered the way she pulled at her clothes nervously. Naruto started dragging her away before she could even answer. 

When they made it to Ichiraku, Sakura felt like her heart would burst out of her chest. It had been a while since she’d eaten in front of anybody, much less her teammates, and her anxiety was through the roof. The delicious aroma filled her nostrils and she was finding it harder and harder to resist temptation. She detached her chopsticks and fussed around with her food a little. 

When she finally took her first bite, there was no denying the hunger plaguing her stomach. Small bites wouldn’t cut it. She’d almost fainted three times that morning during the mission and was running on one granola for the past six hours. She didn’t realize how fast she’d been eating until Naruto made a comment.   
“Woah Sakura-chan! I didn’t know you liked ramen so much.” 

It was such an innocent statement. She knew the boy didn’t mean it like that, he never did, but when she looked into her empty bowl with no recollection of eating besides the lingering taste in her mouth, she knew she had to leave. She dismissed herself with an excuse about her parents being upset about her spoiling her appetite with ramen and left.   
She took winding paths and alleyways that would do their best to keep her hidden and ran home. Her vision was blurred from all the crying. She didn’t know how she made it home with her inability to see other than muscle memory. 

Sakura went up to her room, slammed the door, and entered the small bathroom connected to her bedroom. She lifted the toilet seat up, pushed her fingers down her throat, and puked until she felt her stomach completely empty. She flushed the toilet without looking and laid on the floor for an hour before she heard her parents open the front door and call out to her. 

Sakura cleaned herself up and rushed downstairs to help her parents with the new furniture and decorations for the house. It didn’t take long for a light-hearted conversation about furniture to turn into another one of her mother’s rants in opposition to Sakura’s ninja status. 

“I just don’t understand why you’re so adamant about being a ninja. I remember you coming home from school talking about gossip with Ino and that Uchiha boy, never ninja skills. I think you’re doing it to spite me at this point.” 

Sakura rolled her eyes. Conversations between her and her parents had become tense and strained since starting her ninja career. Her mother was very vocal about her disapproval while her father simply ignored the conversation altogether. On some nights, his indifference hurt worse than a knife. 

“I want to be a ninja. It’s something I like to do.” 

“Honey, you’re not very good at it. I don’t understand why you can’t do something more low risk that matches your skills,” her mother remarked in her patronizing maternalistic tone. It was a tone she had been taking more frequently. It grated on Sakura’s ears. 

“I am good. One of the missions my team and I went on even had a bridge named after us.” 

“How much of that honor was as a result of what you did on the battlefield?” 

The room went silent. Her father could sense the tension in the room and tried to quell it before it escalated. “Come on both of you. Let’s just put these things away so we can get ready for dinner.” 

“What does it matter? I’m a part of the team.” 

“Oh honey…I’m not trying to be the bad guy here or anything, but your father and I, we know your skillset. Maybe if you were on a different team your shortcomings wouldn’t be so glaring, but those boys are powerhouses and you’ll just end up getting in their way. Just quit while you’re ahead and stay here with me, ok?” 

Sakura stopped breathing. No matter how true it was, she didn’t want to hear it especially not from her mother. This had to be the ultimate betrayal. Sakura started shaking with rage. Her father walked over and laid a hand on her back. 

“Let’s stop this now. It’s only going to get worse.” 

“YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW ME!” 

Her mother rolled her eyes, used to the outburst. “Ugh, not this again,” her mother said with a tone of dismissal. “Not everyone’s against you just because they’re being realistic. I’m only telling you this to spare your feelings.” 

Sakura’s shakes of rage turned into sobs. Before she could stop herself, the tears poured out and she was blubbering like a baby. 

“I HATE YOU! I FUCKING HATE YOU!” 

Her mother looked taken aback. Sakura could feel her father jacking her up from behind and shaking her. 

“That’s enough! Apologize to your mother and go to your room!” 

Sakura ran straight up the stairs and slammed her room door shut. She could hear her parents’ protests from downstairs, but she didn’t care. She was just so sick of everyone telling her she was useless without even giving her a fair chance to prove herself. 

This was how she found herself on her bed moping. She looked over at the clock. It was almost midnight and her parents were still downstairs just talking. They’d been at the dinner table for hours just rambling about the most mundane topics. However, Sakura’s ears perked up when her mother started talking about her. 

“I just don’t know what to do with that girl. She can be so stubborn sometimes.” 

“That’s where you two are alike. You never back down from a fight even when you’re wrong,” her father quipped. Sakura heard them laugh with a joy she hadn’t heard in months. 

“Please! I’m not that bad. Even I know when to quit,” she heard her mother reply. Sakura could feel a weight in her stomach drop. 

“Well it’s obvious you won’t be able to convince her that this dream she has of being a ninja isn’t realistic, so just let her figure that out herself.” 

“And embarrass us in the process? I don’t think so,” her mother comments with a laugh. “It’s a pipe dream and you know it dear. She can be mad at me now but she’ll realize I was right later.” 

“Ah, just let her indulge herself now. Maybe she’ll realize she doesn’t have the chops in a few more months and then we won’t have to worry about this anymore,” her father reasoned. 

“I hope you’re right.” 

A small laugh ensued between the two ends the conversation. Sakura gets up and stands by the door with half a mind to let them know that she heard what they said and wouldn’t be changing her mind. But she could only stand at the door with tears in her eyes and the knowledge deep down in her heart that they were right.


	2. A Horrible Decision

Sakura slipped into her sandals and headed out the door. She wore a plain, white, flowy dress with a large straw hat embroidered with a flower. Team 7 agreed to do a training session today, but Sakura had no intention of going. 

Not like they meant to include me anyway. 

She was heading towards the Hokage Tower. It was time to be realistic. She was going to do the mature thing and formally quit the team. Last night was hard to swallow. Coming to terms with being a deadweight would be hard on anyone, especially a 12-year-old girl with no support system. 

She greeted the door guards and entered the building. A few other employees greeted her on her way to the Hokage’s office and she returned their kindness. Once she finally reached the Hokage’s office, she was disappointed, yet relieved to see an unknown, busty blonde woman sitting on the desk.

She was disappointed because she wanted to speak to the Fourth directly, but relieved that she didn’t because her anxiety was shooting through the roof just working up the nerve to talk to him. 

She stood at the entrance with a meek look. It took a few moments for the mysterious woman to look up from a book she was reading and notice her. “Hello,” the blonde woman greeted. “How may I help you?” she asked as she set her book down. 

The blonde woman rose from her place on the desk and moved closer towards Sakura. Sakura could feel her chest constrict with worry. 

“Hi, I’m here to resign from my team.” 

The words fell unnaturally from her mouth. Sakura’s voice cracked on the last few words and she knew this was a decision she would come to regret.   
I have to do this for everyone’s benefit. I’m more of a dead last than Naruto will ever be. 

The blonde woman frowned. She could see the young girl’s inner turmoil. It was obvious that this was a hard decision for her to come to and there was nothing the woman could do to comfort her. 

“That’s a very permanent decision,” the woman reasoned. 

Sakura shrugged. “It’s for the best. I’m hardly a ninja anyhow.” 

The blonde woman observed the girl’s sullen expression. It was such a hard reality to face for women in the ninja world. A male dominated field where men made up the majority of teams was an unfair playing field. Even if they had a female teammate, girls were constantly cast to the side as to not outshine their male counterparts’ achievements. The woman didn’t want to think of the many women and girls just like the pink-haired girl who had had to come to this same decision before. 

The woman started shuffling through a filing cabinet until she found the form the young girl was looking for. “Just fill this out and I’ll give this to Minato-san for you.” 

Sakura took the form from the woman’s hand and scribbled her career away in a matter of 5 minutes. She wanted to cry, but there was no time for weakness. She scrawled her last signature and held herself together to hand it back to the blonde woman. 

“Sakura, huh?” The blonde woman read her name out loud unconsciously. 

Sakura stood before her fidgeting with her hands. The woman looked up from her paper and smiled. 

“That’s all for now. Come back here tomorrow at the same time. We’ll also have to get your sensei’s final word on this.” 

“Don’t worry. He’ll agree,” Sakura said with mirth coating her words. “See you tomorrow…I guess.” 

The blonde woman waved the young girl away. Sakura walked out the doors of the Hokage’s office barely able to hold herself off from sobbing.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
The blonde woman sat in a rolling chair with her feet propped up on the Hokage’s desk. She was reading over Sakura’s file. Other than her intelligence, noted chakra control, and potential for genjutsu, there was nothing outstanding about her profile. 

It had to be a joke for the Third to even pair her with such an infamous duo. Was he deliberately sabotaging her career? 

She found it hard to disagree with the girl’s previous self-deprecating statements, but she could work with potential. It was obvious that the girl’s self-esteem was at an all-time low and she needed a quick pick me up. If Sakura came back tomorrow, the blonde woman would be able to give her just that. 

The blonde woman could feel the familiar chakra signatures of the Fourth Hokage, Kakashi, and another extremely talented older ninja approaching the office. The blonde woman made haste to put away the girl’s files and tucked her resignation letter into her bra. The trio walked in in the middle of a conversation, lighthearted from what she could tell. 

“Ah, Tsunade-sama, how nice to have you here. What brings you into town?” 

The Fourth Hokage, Minato, greeted Tsunade with a smile and a warm hug. Tsunade reciprocated with a fierce hug and a smile that outshined his. 

“You’ve never greeted me that nicely, Tsunade and we’re peers,” Jiraiya, the older man pouted. 

Tsunade rolled her eyes and made her way back around the desk and sat in the rolling chair. 

“Please spare me the theatrics. No one would want to greet a degenerate like you warmly.” 

The room erupted in hearty laughter. Minato made his way around the desk to stand next to Tsunade. Jiraiya and Kakashi leaned against the front of it. 

“And to answer you Minato, I’m here because of the attack at the Chuunin Exams. You’re very calm for a man who was almost assassinated.” 

Minato waved his hand dismissively. “It comes with the job. Besides, they were after Sarutobi-sama more so than me.” 

Tsunade shook her head. Jiraiya laughed loudly and clapped his hand on Minato’s shoulder. 

“Don’t be so modest boy! You’re a force of your own. I’m sure Sand was trying to take you out, too.” 

“How comforting,” Kakashi deadpans. 

Tsunade held back a chuckle with the back of her hand covering her mouth. Jiraiya scowled at him. Kakashi slid his book into one of the pockets of his jounin vest and cleared his throat. 

“Well? What’ll it be Jiraiya? Will you be taking Naruto off my hands to formally train him?” 

Tsunade’s eyes widened in shock. She had no idea her old teammate was planning on mentoring someone at his old age. It seemed impractical to a woman like her who was so used to moving on her own time. 

“Oh you should, Jiraiya-sensei! It’ll be like me and you.” 

Jiraiya scratched his head apprehensively. Training the loud-mouthed brat was not on his schedule. 

“I don’t know. I think Kakashi’s doing a pretty good job, no?” 

“It’s not the same. He needs a more concentrated teaching method. I have three kids to drill basic ninja stuff into, it’s a given that I won’t be able to include everyone’s separate skill sets.” 

No kidding, Tsunade thought to herself. 

“Please sensei. Do it for me,” Minato pleaded with Jiraiya. 

Jiraiya looked away knowing he was going to cave. “Ah, you always know how to convince me don’t you kid?” 

Tsunade could see that the three men had reached an agreement. Minato was moving things around in his filing cabinets when Tsunade saw a document highlighted in red. She pulled it out much to Minato’s chagrin and read it. The information was alarming, but possibly beneficial to all parties involved. 

“Have you read this?” Tsunade asked while holding the paper out of Minato’s reach. 

“Some of it,” Minato struggled to get it out of Tsunade’s hand. “I haven’t had the time to read it thoroughly.” 

Tsunade rose from the swivel chair and walked to the other side of the room with the paper in hand. 

“As a way to ease tension between all ninja nations after Sand’s attack on the Leaf, the villages are considering a peace treaty via creating international teams of young genin. Any genin can apply to be part of this exchange program and higher ranking ninja from any region can apply to be a sensei. Kumogakure has the housing infrastructure needed to house potential applicants.” 

“Thank you for that summary,” Minato replies exasperatedly. 

“Sounds good to me. Why are you dragging your feet on it?” Tsunade inquired. 

Minato sighed in defeat. “I’m not dragging my feet. I just have a lot of other paperwork to do before I get to that.” 

“Well now since I’ve read it for you, you can agree to it now. Right guys?” 

Kakashi made a noise of approval while Jiraiya grinned with pride. 

“I told you she’d be a good candidate for Hokage, didn’t I?” 

Minato chuckled in agreement. Tsunade rolled her eyes and flicked Jiraiya upside the head. 

“Don’t volunteer my time you bozo! Always pushing your work off onto me. I’m sure he asked you first.” 

Jiraiya rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Tsunade placed the document on the Hokage’s table and slid it closer to Minato. He took it with a relieved sigh. 

“So you’ll be signing off on it?” Minato nodded wearily. 

Tsunade released a megawatt smile. 

There’s hope for you yet Sakura. 

“I’ll have your first applicant here tomorrow morning.” Tsunade left in a whirlwind of happy delusion. The three males watched her leave in a confused shock.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Sakura had never felt more useless in her life. The walk back home was brutal. Everything felt so surreal. Time seemed to slow down. There was nothing more she wanted to do than cry out. In anger, despair, desperation, or defeat? She didn’t know, but she needed to scream. 

With her final scribble, she had permanently ended any semblance of a ninja career she had ever believed she would be able to have. Coming back tomorrow would just be another knife in the wound. 

She saw Naruto and Sasuke hanging out with the rest of the rookie nine and Team Gai at Ichiraku’s and felt like a rock was placed onto her chest. She wanted to at least give them a proper goodbye, but just the memory of what she had done brought her to tears. 

When she finally got home, her parents steered clear of her. It was obvious she was in no better mood than last night and judging by the sobs emitting from her room, she wouldn’t be better anytime soon. Sakura laid sprawled out across her bed and mashed her face into one of her sickeningly cute plush pillows. No matter how muffled her cries, she was sure the entire neighborhood could hear her mourning at this point. 

All of a sudden, Sakura heard a knock at her door. She bolted up and rubbed at her tear stained cheeks. 

“Sakura?” 

It was her mother’s voice. The slow creaking of the door opening signaled her hesitance. Last night was really tense and it was obvious it added on to whatever her daughter was feeling right now. 

Sakura sat up in her bed in a hunched style as she watched her mother enter the room with a plate of rice balls. The delicious aroma hit her nose and she had to fight the creeping feelings she would have to face later about eating a full meal. She was in a delicate state and stress eating was all she could do at this point. 

“I brought you some food dear.” 

Sakura’s mother placed the food down on her daughter’s night stand. She made a move to reach out to cup Sakura’s face, but her daughter jerked away bitterly. Her mother sighed in exasperation and slowly backed away. 

“You should eat dear. That always makes you feel better.” 

Sakura waited until her mother was completely out of the room before she got up to lock the door. She laid back down on her bed and grabbed one of the three rice balls. She stuffed her face with a vigor she hadn’t allowed herself to in months. Every morsel was chewed with enthusiasm and before she knew it, all three rice balls were gone. 

As soon as she swallowed the last piece, regret sunk into her. All those feelings she’d tried to eat away came bubbling up to the surface and she wanted nothing more than to puke all her feelings away metaphorically and literally. Every terrible memory she could muster popped into her head and another round of sobs racked her body. 

I wish I was normal. Or at least pretty. Something to make up for having no talent would be nice. 

Triggered beyond belief, Sakura sat up and rummaged through her dresser drawers. Underneath a mountain of underwear was an old, rusty kunai that she kept for special purposes. She was about to do something she’d tried to forget about for over a year. 

Sakura walked into the adjacent bathroom, kunai in hand, and looked into the mirror. She was rail thin, with blotchy skin, and an underdeveloped body that everyone felt the need to comment on. If people weren’t preoccupied with her lack of a chest, then it was about her forehead, if it wasn’t about her forehead, then it was her lack of skill in battle. It was a never ending nightmare of her ineptness. She was tired of pretending to be okay. 

She steadied the kunai above her wrist. She wasn’t this reckless the last time she did it. She still had the scar on her thigh from her last breakdown, but it was faded and she liked to think of it as a distant memory. She’d done it after losing her diet competition with Ino. 

It wasn’t just that she had lost to the girl, it showed her weaknesses in every other aspect in her life and she hated it. It didn’t make it any better that her mom just had to make a snide comment that night either. 

Sakura ran the kunai blade across her wrist. It hurt like a bitch, but it was a nice release and she loved watching the blood trickle. Just knowing she could play with her life like this exhilarated her and she always wanted to go further to test the limits. 

Sakura continued this for a few more cuts before her sink became stained with blood. She washed her wrist off, disinfected both her sink and wrist, and wrapped herself in some spare gauze she’d taken from her parents’ bathroom. She looked into the mirror once again in defeat. 

I’d better get used to this. There’ll be a lot more nights like this since I’ll be with mom and dad more often.


	3. Hit & Run

It was morning. The sun’s rays stretched through Sakura’s blinds and tickled her skin. Last night felt like a fever dream. She almost wanted to pinch herself out of this nightmare. 

Sakura yawned, stretched, and got herself out of bed to start her new daily routine. She brushed her teeth without enthusiasm. Her movements were agonizingly slow. When she brushed her short hair, the pain from the memory of the Chuunin Exams struck her heart like lightning. 

All that talk just for nothing to change, she pouted. I really liked my long hair. 

Sakura exited the bathroom after her morning wash and went to scour through her closet. She settled on a pair of overalls that were once a bit snug to now hanging off her body like a burlap sack. She paired them with flip flops and a t-shirt and headed out. 

She still wasn’t speaking with her parents. She found more and more that there was nothing to say. On her way out, her mother didn’t even try to offer her any breakfast. 

Not that I would’ve eaten any.

Sakura trudged past all the familiar shops and food stands. For a moment, she believed that she could get used to her new life. Besides, there was no shame in being a normal villager. But she didn’t expect to see Sasuke coming out of one of the miscellaneous shops on the upcoming block. 

He spoke a few words with the owners and, then, as if he could sense her, looked straight ahead and made eye contact. Sakura panicked. She had no intention of running into anyone, especially someone as unsympathetic as Sasuke. There was no way she’d be able to talk if he started asking questions. So she did the best thing she could in a sticky situation. She ran. 

She took the shortcuts that she usually took and bolted towards the Hokage Tower. She didn’t know why she didn’t do this from the start, but she was regretting it deeply. 

Of all people to run into. God, I have the worst luck. 

Sakura was running down another alleyway cut when Sasuke jumped right down in front of her. She recoiled in shock and nearly jumped out of her skin. It was stupid of her to run, but she never expected to be chased. 

He looked down his nose at her, as he usually did, with his piercing obsidian eyes. When she looked straight into them, she could see all the reasons she had initially fallen for him. No matter what Sasuke acted like, his eyes always told his secrets. It was that mouth of his that bothered her. 

“We had training yesterday,” he stated like he was speaking to a petulant child. His face remained impassive, but Sakura could tell under all his carefully crafted features that he was pissed beyond belief. She dreaded being cornered by him of all people. 

“I-I know.” 

He scoffed haughtily. She could sense the snide remark coming from a mile away. 

“If you knew then why didn’t you come?” 

She could tell he wasn’t asking out of concern. Kakashi was perpetually late, so Sasuke was probably already having to wait for the teacher to show up. When Kakashi finally did appear, they all probably waited a few more hours before they actually started training because they anticipated her arrival. She could only imagine how irritated he had to be with listening to Naruto’s nagging for longer than usual. 

Sakura’s eyes darted around for an exit. She wanted to avoid this conversation at all costs. Sasuke watched her carefully and his anger rose tenfold. He grabbed her shoulder and forcefully bolted her into place. She didn’t get to stand him up and then avoid all accountability. Sakura realized she wouldn’t get out of this without an explanation and sighed. 

“I was sick yesterday,” she said half-heartedly. “I’m sorry your training was put off so long for my absence.” 

She bowed to him with regret. He loomed over her apologetic figure and sneered. She had to be the most pathetic person he’d ever met. 

“You’re worse than the dobe in all ninja aspects. It wouldn’t do you good to get sick all the time,” he said matter of factly. 

Sakura kept her head bowed so he wouldn’t see the tears threatening to spill over. When she heard his footsteps fade into the distance, she wiped her eyes and started her journey back to the Hokage Tower.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Sakura hadn’t taken more than a few steps into the Hokage Tower when the busty, blonde woman from the day before pulled her to the side and greeted her with a megawatt smile. Sakura returned it with a meek one of her own, not feeling in the mood to be cheery at all. 

Finalizing her termination was going to be gut wrenching. Talking it over with Kakashi was going to be a nightmare. Anxiety weighed in her stomach like a bowling ball. She just wanted to cut herself open and be freed of emotions. 

Tsunade pulled out a form and Sakura took it from her hands to read it over for herself. It looked very different from the one she’d read yesterday. It certainly wasn’t a resignation letter. Sakura looked up at the woman in confusion. Tsunade smiled at her and took the paper from the young girl’s hand. 

“I know I made you think you’d be coming back here to finalize your resignation, but I just couldn’t let you,” Tsunade explained. Sakura’s shoulders slumped in exasperation. 

This woman doesn’t know what she’s getting into. 

“I read your file yesterday,” the older woman told her. Sakura’s back went ramrod straight. She’d never been so embarrassed in her life. This woman had to be joking if she saw her file and still advocated for her to continue pursuing a ninja career. 

“I think you were placed onto the wrong team. Sarutobi’s getting senile.” 

Sakura looked up at the woman dejectedly. She had no idea who she was and here this woman stood trying to tell her what she already knew. 

I wish she would put me out of my misery already. 

“I think you’ll be better suited in this new program the villages have created.” 

Sakura’s ears perked up. She knew she should focus on giving up her silly dreams, but deep down, she really did want to become a ninja. Proving her skills to herself would be the first step to gaining a sense of confidence. She looked up at the woman with rapt attention. 

“The villages are suggesting creating international teams. You’ll be selected for a new team and be placed in Kumogakure on a dual citizenship visa. This could foster better relationships amongst villages and probably level the playing field amongst our emerging ninjas. How does that sound to you?” 

Same as where I am now. 

Sakura’s mood deflated. What difference was this program than what she was already doing in her home village? Other than bettering relationships between villages, how would this help her? 

Tsunade could see Sakura’s inner turmoil. The depth of the young girl’s insecurities was deep and she could see the hesitation she held. Before Sakura could open her mouth to decline, Tsunade made a proposition. 

“How about this? If you sign up for this program, not only will you have a new team to train with, but you’ll also have me, a legendary Sannin to train you.” 

Sakura’s jaw dropped. How could she not recognize Tsunade? She’d read plenty of books about superfluous subjects and she distinctly remembered the section dedicated to the legendary Sannin. Who would’ve thought she’d cross paths with one and be propositioned for training? 

But then reality came crashing in. Tsunade would be wasting her time on an untalented girl like her. Someone more worthy of her time like Ino should be getting this question. Sakura shook her head. Tsunade knew she would have to nip this situation in the bud immediately. 

“I’m not taking no for an answer, Sakura. Do you really have the confidence to present your resignation to the Fourth and Kakashi?” 

Sakura shook her head. A stream of tears burst from her eyes and she struggled to swallow down her sobs. Tsunade looked unnerved by the girl’s display of emotions and tried to shush her. After rubbing a few soothing circles into the girl’s back, she quieted down. 

“Here,” Tsunade handed her the permission slip. “Take this home, fill it out, and come back with your parents’ signature. If you’re fast about this, we can leave as early as tomorrow morning.” 

Sakura looked up at Tsunade with hope in her eyes that hadn’t been present in months. This was her moment. Finally! Someone was able to look at her and see her for all her potential. This was an opportunity she couldn’t miss. Sakura wiped her face and nodded her head at Tsunade with a newfound fierceness. If she let an opportunity like this escape her, she’d never get another one like it.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Sakura ran home with a smile stretching from ear to ear. The wind blew past her face and threw her tresses with such a lightness that she felt like she was flying. What else could possibly explain today’s sudden turn of events? 

She bolted through the village with little regard for those passing by who stood in her way. Today was a day of celebration and she planned to do that as soon as she arrived home. She stood at the door of her home and could hear the muffled sounds of her parents’ voices. She cracked the front door open with little noise and walked in on a rather explosive conversation. 

“You are always enabling that girl! You try to make me look like the bad guy for telling her the truth!” Her mother’s voice went shrill from screaming. 

Arguments between her parents were becoming more common, but she’d never heard them yell at each other. 

“Oh so now everything’s my fault? Listen to yourself, Mebuki! She’s a twelve-year-old girl, she’s supposed to make stupid decisions before realizing they’re not realistic. God! You’re such a wench sometimes!” 

“I’m the wench? I’m the wench? At least she knows upfront that I don’t agree with this silly ninja career fantasy. I don’t go behind her back and wait for her teacher to show up at the front door to tell him that he won’t have to worry about her attendance at training anymore because you’ll find a way to coax her into quitting!” 

Sakura’s jaw dropped. That behavior was expected of her mother, but she never thought her father would stoop that low. Her hands shook and she could feel bile rising in her throat. 

On the flip side, Mebuki and Sakura’s father were in the middle of an intense stare down. Her father was the one to break the silence. 

“I don’t understand what you’re upset about Mebuki. You don’t want her on the team either and we both know she’s burdening those boys. Are you mad because I was vocal about with her teacher and you weren’t?” 

Mebuki sighed and massaged her temples. Years of weariness piled on her shoulders in a matter of seconds. Her body felt like a lump of potatoes. “That isn’t the point Kizashi. You went behind our daughter’s back to tell her teacher what I’ve been saying for years. You encouraged her to join the academy, to pursue this career, and continue her training while knowing in the back of your mind that she wasn’t capable of half of what those other kids were. You kept this information to yourself all these years while making me look like the bad guy every time for bringing it up. You never have my back and it’s obvious that you treasure secrets and scripted composure more than your family.” 

Kizashi regarded his wife with careful introspection. He tilted his head up at her and realized something was off about this entire conversation. Mebuki, overwhelmed with emotion, sat in the nearest chair and covered her face with her hands. She knew she was blowing this situation out of proportion, but she was honestly fed up with everything. 

“This isn’t about what I said to Sakura’s teacher…is it?” Kizashi pondered slowly. 

Mebuki shook her head and let out a big sigh. “No, it isn’t and I’m tired of us acting like there’s nothing wrong.” 

Kizashi steeled himself. Mebuki sat up fully at the dining room table and spoke with unfiltered realness. 

“This entire marriage consists of me picking up all the slack while you get to come in at the last minute and pretend to be superman. Everything I say, you debate it. Every decision I make, you hate it. I just don’t know what to do anymore,” Mebuki revealed with honest sincerity. She ran her fingers through her hair and continued. “This marriage was built on convenience. I got pregnant, so you married me so my father wouldn’t kill you. All these years later and I’ve only just begun to realize how much I hate it. Sometimes I think being your wife could be okay, but then I have to remember I’m a mother and all my energy is just gone thinking about it. She nags, and she bitches, and she moans about everything no matter how much care I try to approach her with. I just want to strangle her sometimes. There are days when I just wish I would’ve taken the tonic my aunt offered and been able to forget about this whole thing.” 

Mebuki rested her forehead on her intertwined fingers. Lines in her forehead from distress formed. It felt so good to get that off her chest. Unhappiness had been a constant for years and she’d just never had anywhere to release it. 

Kizashi on the other hand shook with rage. How dare she diminish his inputs? 

“You think you’re the only one suffering in this fucking marriage? I never expected to end up with such a petulant child! She’s so stubborn and bullheaded that nothing gets through that thick skull of hers. Unlike you, I have tact. What does she need to hear about how you don’t like her career path all the time for? It’s obvious that she’s continuing to do so because you’re in such strong opposition. This marriage is as much a nightmare for me as it is for you!” 

“Spare me the fucking woe is me! It’s not you who had to carry that girl for nine months or do years of child rearing just for her to grow up and spit everything you’ve drilled into her from a young age in your face. I mean, god, when most mothers think about having daughters, they think about matching outfits and shopping sprees. Not coming home bloodied and beaten after missions. She can’t even allow me that experience after all I’ve been through.” 

“So that’s my fault?!” Kizashi yelled. 

“YES!” Mebuki replied with a newfound venom. “All your enabling and incompetence has given me a child who can’t even see the world for what it is.” 

Mebuki paused for a moment to sob. Her shoulders heaved up and down with tears rolling down her face. Kizashi’s face softened and he made his way over to his wife to console her. She looked up at him and just shook her head. 

“You’ve left me with nothing…nothing at all.” 

Suddenly, both parents heard the slamming of a door. Their heads snapped to the front door to find it dangling open. They looked at each other with faces of horrified shock. There was only one other person in the house with a key to unlock the front door. 

“Oh no, do you think she…” Mebuki started in a low voice. 

Kizashi looked at the dangling door and swallowed a lump in her throat. Sakura would never be the same.


	4. A Spark of Triumph

To say last night was tense would be an understatement. You could hear a mouse piss on cotton with the silence that impregnated the house. All attempts of conversation were shot down by Sakura. 

Although Mebuki and Kizashi tried, they knew they’d dug themselves into a hole. They’d both been selfish and projecting their own feelings onto their daughter. Sakura’s anger was justified. 

On the bright side, with the strain on their relationship, Sakura didn’t have to come up with some flimsy excuse about not eating dinner tonight. She went to bed happy that she hadn’t stress eaten after a situation like this as she would’ve in times before. 

On yesterday’s walk, Sakura collected her thoughts and calmed herself down. She didn’t want to alert the villagers of her distress so she tried to keep the tears to a minimum. She was so embarrassed. No one had luck as bad as her. She thought that you should have at least one person, especially a parent, to rely on. But she had been slowly finding out that she had no real allies outside of herself. 

It was why she hopped onto the rooftop of a building and forged her parents’ signatures. 

They’d never support this decision anyway. I might as well advocate for myself. 

With every box she filled out, Sakura could feel her confidence rise. It was the first time she’d been sure of herself in months. And from a stranger of all people. As soon as the last signature was forged, she roof hopped back to the Hokage Tower and was directed by guards to go to the hospital. 

When she got there, Sakura was amazed by what she saw. She’d never seen the hospital run so smoothly. Tsunade was cool, calm, and collected as she passed out orders like a drill sergeant. In a matter of hours, she’d streamlined everyone’s work and cut what would’ve been hours of overtime assignments into half a shift. When Sakura looked at Tsunade, she saw all that she wanted to be. 

Sakura sauntered toward Tsunade who was still giving out orders and presented her registration form confidently. Tsunade beamed down at her with the radiance of one thousand suns. Her energy brought out one of Sakura’s long forgotten true smiles. She briefly introduced Sakura to her assistant Shizune and her pig TonTon. 

She told the young girl what to pack for their journey tomorrow and what time to meet her at the gates. By the time Sakura had make it back home, she’d almost forgotten what she was so upset about. 

Well…she would’ve if her parents hadn’t tried to smother her as soon as she walked through the door. All those empty apologies and trite explanations for what was essentially a wish for Sakura to never have been born didn’t move her. 

Sakura ran upstairs and slammed her door like the previous night. They tried to get her to come out and talk, but it was all to no avail. She wasn’t up for talking and they had no idea how to repair the damage they’d caused.   
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Tsunade walked back into the Hokage Tower with a shit-eating grin. She was so happy that the girl had agreed to the deal. There was bit of doubt, but Tsunade could be quite persuasive when need be. She entered the Hokage’s office to find the same trio of Minato, Jiraiya, and Kakashi chatting together. 

Tsunade walked up to his desk and slammed the registration form on his desk. She beamed with pride. Minato took the sheet with a nervous laugh and read it over. His eyebrows rose when he read the name. 

“You got Sakura to sign up for this program. Isn’t that your student Kakashi?” Minato inquired. 

Kakashi gave a stiff nod. He wondered why the girl wasn’t at practice the previous day nor today. Seeing Tsunade’s grin told him all he needed to do. Still, he was puzzled about her parents’ obliviousness to her absence and even stranger dismissal of her ninja career. As much as he agreed with their sentiments, it just wasn’t something he’d ever thought he’d hear from a student’s parents. 

Kakashi leaned against the Hokage’s desk in a way that only he could make look cool. Minato filed the paper away into a small envelope and called for a carrier bird. Jiraiya looked at the scene before him with curiosity. 

“You only came here yesterday and already recruited someone for a program you just learned about?” Jiraiya pondered. 

Tsunade shrugged. She didn’t feel an explanation was truly needed for what she knew was the right decision. Denying someone in need of help wasn’t something she could do. 

“The details don’t matter Jiraiya. Tomorrow, me and Sakura will set out for a journey of a lifetime. I’ll even be able to drop her off in Kumo.” 

The three men looked at Tsunade in shock. Minato cleared his throat and looked at her directly. 

“You mean you won’t be staying?” 

Tsunade waved a dismissive hand at the naïve man. When had they had known her to stay in one place? It was ridiculous to even think she would. 

“I thought you were coming to see the Third,” Jiraiya added. 

If one didn’t know him as well as Tsunade had, they would’ve missed the longing nag that stained his voice. Tsunade rolled her eyes. He had always been such a big baby. 

“I saw the old man already. Plus, I think Sakura has potential and I’d like to mentor her.” 

Kakashi choked on his spit. He coughed for about 30 seconds before recomposing himself. This was a turn of events he’d never seen coming. 

“You want to train Sakura?” Kakashi asked shell shocked. 

“You make it sound so unfathomable,” she quipped. 

“I’m just surprised is all,” the masked man admitted. “I never expected you of all people to want to mentor someone. Much less one of my own students.” 

Tsunade shrugged. She guessed the shock she saw in all three males’ faces was understandable, but they didn’t have to gawk at the prospect of her actually wanting to help someone. She wasn’t some cold-hearted witch. 

“Well, I decided to take things in my own hands. She came here looking for the Fourth yesterday and I did some snooping around in her file as a result of it.” 

“Sakura came to see me yesterday?” Minato asked innocently. “What for?” 

Tsunade blanched. She waved her hand at him dismissively. She was sure the girl wouldn’t want her to make the obviously embarrassing admission that she felt she wasn’t good enough to keep up with her star-studded team and dropped by his office to quit. To her teammates father no less. It would make it even harder for Tsunade to explain why she’d really chosen to take on the insecure girl as a protégée. 

“It’s nothing of importance now. But anyway, I looked through her file and couldn’t help but realize how mismatched her team was. I think training with me and going through this program will help level the playing field between her and her teammates.” 

Kakashi nodded. He couldn’t disagree with her sentiments. He just hoped Sakura would be able to pull through and prove Tsunade right. He’d never heard her advocate for someone as hard as her. 

Minato on the other hand looked miffed. “You think the team matchups are skewed? I went over it with the Third before distributing them. I thought his judgement was fair.” 

Tsunade rolled her eyes. Minato could be just as sweet and airheaded as a child sometimes. 

“I’m sure you’re just indulging the old man. He’s senile. Who the hell would put a kunoichi with no previous ninja affiliation anywhere in her family on a team with the spawn of the Fourth Hokage and the Uzumaki clan and an Uchiha brat. It’s gotta be some type of sick joke.” 

The room tensed for a moment. Looking at it from that point surely brought a lot of things into perspective, but going against the ever knowledgeable Sarutobi seemed so wrong. He obviously saw great potential in this matchup and anybody would’ve went along with his decision. Why wouldn’t they take his word for it? 

Tsunade huffed in exasperation. “Nee, don’t get so worked up. He’s not gonna jump through the window and attack you for disagreeing with him, y’know?” 

She could see them all visibly lighten up and giggled. 

Men, she thought to herself. So predictable. 

“Well, anyhow,” Tsunade started. “Sakura, Shizune, and I’ll be heading out tomorrow morning at dawn.” 

“So suddenly?” Kakashi asked. 

Tsunade nodded with a grin. “Better now than later. I don’t want her to give her any time to change her mind.” 

“You stole that idea from me,” Jiraiya whined. 

Tsunade flicked him on the forehead dismissively. He recovered quickly and started being weirdly flirtatious. 

“Since we’re both taking our lovely students for training, we could probably meet up somewhere along the way,” he suggested with a raised brow. 

Tsunade’s eye twitched in irritation. She punched Jiraiya in the head. He made the expected noises of protest and the room filled with laughter. 

“You won’t be taking Naruto for another couple months, Jiraiya-sensei. Enjoy your freedom for now,” Minato declared. 

Tsunade stuck her tongue out at Jiraiya and he pouted accordingly. Minato fixed a stack of papers and set his eyes on Tsunade. 

“I’ll see you off tomorrow at the gates.”   
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Sakura woke up the next morning at the crack of dawn. It was a bit earlier than required, but she was honestly so excited that she couldn’t hold in her excitement. She had already packed the night before and it had done nothing to ease her jitters. She was barely able to sleep through the night from being so excited, or maybe it was because she was starving? Possibly both, but she couldn’t care less. It wasn’t every day you got offered to be taught by one of the Legendary Sannin. 

When she finished her morning routine, she went downstairs and was greeted by her insomniatic parents. It was probably all the guilt that kept them up all night, but they were up and definitely looked like they wanted to talk. Sakura wouldn’t allow it though. Nothing was going to dampen the day that was sure to turn her life around. 

Her mother, red-eyed and sleep deprived, opened her mouth to speak and Sakura cut her off. “I’m going on a mission.” They nodded. When it looked like her father wanted to speak, she cut him off. 

“A long one. I won’t see you guys for a long time.” They both nodded again. 

“H-How long do you think this mission will be?” her mother asked timidly. 

All that snark out of your system now, huh?

“I don’t know. It’s indefinite.” 

Her parents’ faces colored with shock. She was only a genin. As far as they knew, missions never extended past a few days for such low level ninjas. What in the world could this mission entail? 

“Will you keep in touch?” her father asked pitifully. 

Sakura shrugged her shoulders. She heard the start of another question and raced out of the door. Roof hopping to Konoha’s entrance gates was liberating. For the first time in a long while, Sakura felt like she belonged. Nothing could trump the euphoria she felt as she raced to her destination. 

When Tsunade and Shizune finally came into view, Sakura rushed over to hug them both. Small ‘oofs’ resounded from both parties, but they welcomed her enthusiasm. Sakura turned to see the newest chakra presence, the Fourth Hokage, and bowed deeply. 

“Oh, there’s no need for that,” he blushed. “I’m just here to see you all off.” 

“Thank you,” the trio said in unison. TonTon made a small oink in agreement. 

Minato fixed his gaze onto the young girl and his features softened. He knelt down and placed a hand onto her shoulder. “Naruto will be very sad to learn of your absence.”   
Sakura blushed. She hadn’t even thought of all the people she’d leave behind on this trip. She’d been too wrapped in her own misery lately to realize anything happening outside of herself. 

She bowed again apologetically. “Please tell Naruto I’m sorry to leave without a proper goodbye.” Minato chuckled and had her stand up straight. 

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll pass your message on to him as soon as he wakes,” he promised. He smiled at the traveling party and shook his head in disbelief. 

“I’ll see you off,” he tilted his head in Sakura’s direction. “Make Konoha proud Sakura-san.” 

Sakura nodded her head in delight. Pride swelled through her and it was a feeling she never forgot.


	5. An Unexpected Return

3 YEARS LATER

Sasuke considered himself a pretty patient guy. If his ability to withstand Naruto’s incessant need to annoy him was anything to go by, then he had the patience of a saint. But his patience had been brought further past its limit for the past three years. 

When the news of Sakura’s departure from the team finally came around, Sasuke found himself relieved. He no longer had to put up with constant bombardments of dating propositions or the distractions from Naruto as a result of them. He would finally be able to train properly and work to surpass his brother. 

Unfortunately, he never saw what was coming next. 

With the botched assassination mission that was the Chuunin Exams, it left the remaining team members without a third person for them to qualify for potential missions and the next Chuunin Exams. Gaining a new member wouldn’t bother him. He was used to Naruto and no one, not even Ino, was as annoying as Sakura. 

That was, until he met Sai. He was a pale, wiry thin boy with a smile so fake the rest of his facial features didn’t cooperate when he tried to emote. Not only was he the weirdest looking child he’d ever seen, but he was also incredibly shady. It was very obvious he was nothing like the other genin. His skillset was at least chuunin level and he had no problem letting it show. 

No one knew anything of his living arrangements, background, nor his training. When asked, his mouth appeared to lock up and he failed to say anything. Sasuke thought he could be a potential sparring partner, but the boy’s mouth ran like diarrhea. His ass had to be jealous of the shit that came out of his mouth. It was like he looked to say the most offensive thing that came to mind. 

Naruto was pretty easy to irritate, but not even Sasuke would resort to as crude a nickname as “Dickless”. It got Naruto started every time and Kakashi could do nothing to stop the situation once it started. 

What really grinded Sasuke’s gears about Sai was how easily he could get under anyone’s skin. Whether it be from his unsettling smile or his sharp tongue, Sai was all around an unpleasant person to be around. 

But Sasuke had never wanted to kill someone as much as he wanted to kill Sai. Sasuke could admit that his clan was highly known and even a commoner could tell his family’s dynamics by just looking, but Sai dug deeper than that. Sai had dubbed him “Second Place” or “Number 2” for short. He used the shortened name around Kakashi and Naruto. They thought of it as nothing more than a crude reference to bodily functions and Naruto guffawed with laughter every time. But it was one day after a mission when Sai revealed his true malicious intent. 

“Doesn’t it just make you want to give up sometimes?” 

Sasuke regarded Sai with the haughtiness the Uchiha clan was known for. He wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of a verbal reply. Sai would just have to fill in the blanks. Sai took the hint and dug the knife in further. 

“Always chasing after your brother’s shadow has to be pretty exhausting, huh? It’s very obvious you’re tired of being second place, but you’ll never be able to move farther than that.” 

Sasuke felt his rage bubble to the surface and before he knew it, he had Sai pinned up against a wall with a kunai placed on his neck. Sai kept that unsettling, plastic smile on his face the whole time. A guttural sound that resembled a laugh escaped the emotionally stunted boy. 

“Violent aren’t we Uchiha? No wonder the village forced you people far from outsiders’ sight.” 

With those words, Sasuke punched Sai. It did nothing to help the situation, but it made him feel good, even for just a moment. He never attempted to reason with him again.   
Talk of his brother and family life had always been a sore spot. Pressure from his stoic father and high expectations from his peers made for a child that could not accept anything less than perfection. Every time he was reminded of the limit of his powers, he thought about how Itachi was a prodigy and probably got a new move on his first try. 

He’d exhaust himself trying to learn a new technique until he passed out or was forcefully hospitalized. Whenever he failed, he imagined his father’s disappointed face and start picking at his skin or hair. It was a bad habit his mother thought he would grow out as a child, but it only persisted into his adolescent years. 

His mother would always reassure him that he was perfect, but his father’s looming, unimpressed, and disappointed figure would always appear in the back of his mind. 

As time went on and Naruto worked his magic on him, Sai was said to have gotten better. He was constantly reading books about human interaction and Naruto had begun taking the virility slight as a term of endearment. 

Sai also seemed to be getting along nicely with the rest of the Rookie Nine. But Sasuke paid him no mind. He’d never admit it out loud, but Sasuke couldn’t wait for the day Sakura would be reinstated on their team. Sure she was annoying, but at least she had tact and she’d never crossed a boundary like Sai had. 

The recently instated Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, spoke about her apprentice’s arrival with a joy unbecoming of an obviously much older woman. She spoke at length about a new technique that she had learned that had forced her student’s early arrival, but Sasuke had a bad habit of tuning the woman, and just about everybody else, out. Hopefully Sakura would show up today and boot Sai from existence.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Tsunade sat at the Hokage’s desk reading over documents in her swivel chair. She placed the stack down and sighed. She didn’t know how she let Minato fool her into becoming his successor. It was just the opposite of what she wanted to do. 

Long days of nothing but stress and headaches from dealing with other officials was not how she imagined her retirement. She sneered at the memory of Jiraiya’s smirk. That sneak always found a way to place his load onto her. 

But when she thought of all the ways that Sakura improved, she couldn’t help but smile. The first few months were rough on the both of them. Sakura was obviously gifted and she could get most things on the first try. However, as their training progressed, Tsunade could see the depth of the girl’s insecurity. 

When she hit her lowest point, she got really low. It was scary to witness. Whenever Sakura found herself unable to catch onto something, you could see it in her face how she internalized all her failures. Repeatedly being told and believing that you were a sorry excuse for a ninja had gotten to her. She took every mistake hard. There was even an incident that both parties agreed to never speak of. 

Despite all that, Sakura flourished with her new team. Being able to train with Tsunade and her new team helped build up her confidence and gave her new skills. It was a bit early for her to return, but word had gotten to Konoha that Sakura was able to use the infamous wood style technique. A feat unseen since the First Hokage. 

Tsunade beamed just thinking about it. Her apprentice, the insecure little girl she uprooted from Konoha, was carrying on the techniques of her great-grandfather. She couldn’t be happier to hear it. However, not everyone reacted to the news the same. Word of this hit the council and there was an immediate order to bring the girl back to the village. 

They were already wary of sending their ninjas out to foreign land in an effort that was supposed to show solidarity amongst nations. They thought it was risky to send people who could possibly be used to extract secrets about their home villages. 

A person with no familial connection to the First Hokage being able to reproduce his technique set off a bunch of red flags. The council couldn’t even be reasoned with and Danzo was more adamant than usual about keeping secrets. 

Tsunade shook her head and laughed. That old bastard was always such a stickler for rules. But Tsunade wouldn’t let that ruin her day. Her apprentice would be here soon and she was sure that she’d be scared out of her wits having to deal with a suspicious council alone. Tsunade had to make sure she found her in time to accompany her. God knows they would eat the poor girl alive if she went in alone.   
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Sakura was scared shitless. She’d hit a fluke during a mission and was suddenly whisked away to her village. She didn’t even know how she did it. She’d been messing around a bit making the hand signs for it out of curiosity and suddenly she’d created a bridge. 

She’d completely fainted from the chakra loss. Her new teammates and captain hovered over her barely conscious form. At least half of her chakra had to be depleted. It wasn’t long before the small village gossiped about her ability. It reached a few other villages before Sakura’s team was even able to report for their completed mission. 

The Raikage notified her of her council’s initiative to have her return home immediately and now she was being led in secret to an underground chamber for questioning.   
Is there where my life ends? I just started getting the hang of being a real kunoichi. 

Sakura was led through a dark foyer by two large, brutish men with scars all over their bodies. She scanned her surroundings for a possible escape. She was a ninja in her own right, but she’d always be a woman, and she had to be cautious in every situation. 

There were nearing a door and Sakura could see the light that peaked from it. Her anxiety reached a new high as she turned the corner. She was ushered into a spacious room with the three elders and the familiar face of Tsunade. Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. At least she knew she’d have one person on her side. 

The guards ushered Sakura over to a long red carpet and instructed her to kneel. She complied. The guards moved back towards the door entrance and handled security. The elders and Tsunade sat in a column high up and far away looking at her with scrutinizing eyes. She almost shit herself with nervousness. 

The female elder brushed off her clothes. She didn’t spare Sakura a glance. “I assume you know what you’re here for,” she drawled unenthusiastically. 

Sakura nodded, too scared to speak. The older woman would probably think her rude, but Sakura wasn’t sure how she’d sound if she spoke right now. “I guess it’s also safe to assume that you understand why you’re here.” 

Sakura nodded again. The bandaged elder made a huff of annoyance. The other male looked slightly annoyed, but attentive. He cleared his throat and began to speak. “I’m Homura, this is Koharu,” he said gesturing to the older woman with mean, feline features. “And that’s Danzo,” he said while pointing towards the bandaged man who was polite enough to nod in acknowledgement. 

“I’m sure you’re already familiar with Tsunade, so let’s get this started.”

Sakura sat up straighter. Her nerves were working overtime with the increased stress. She fidgeted with her hands in her lap. She could feel perspiration building under her arms and on her back with nervousness. 

“Explain to us how you came to know about your ability to use wood style jutsu,” Koharu demanded rather than asked. 

Sakura took a deep breath. There was no reason to be scared when she had done nothing wrong. 

“When Tsunade and I first started training, she noticed that my nature types are earth and water; two elements needed for wood style. It was something mentioned offhand one day and wasn’t brought up again until about a year later,” Sakura estimated. 

She looked around at the council. Not a muscle on their faces had flinched. Sakura gulped. She was definitely in the hot seat. She looked towards her mentor and saw her flash a thumbs up and a smile. Sakura returned a small smile of her own and relaxed herself. 

“It was later after a day of training in Kumo with my new team that Tsunade and Shizune presented me with a scroll. It was a scroll about wood jutsu written by Hashirama Senju.”   
The council looked at Tsunade with scrutinizing eyes. She simply looked ahead at her student with pride in her eyes. What did those old fuddy-duddies need to know about her grandfather’s technique anyway? 

“I was wary about learning the jutsu because I believed that it was a kekkei genkai like the Sharingan or the Byakugan. Tsunade urged me to try anyway,” Sakura took a deep breath. This is the part of the story where the terrible flashbacks came in. It was such a terrible time for everyone around Sakura and just thinking about all the pain she caused brought tears to her eyes. 

“I wondered why she would give such sensitive information to a girl like me. We aren’t relatives and kekkei genkais are supposed to stay in the clan. But Tsunade theorized that it couldn’t be one because none of Hashirama’s descendants both before and after him have been able to use the technique. I kept trying to do it, but failed. We left it alone for a while, but Tsunade told me to keep it and just keep practicing with it.” 

Sakura cringed from the memories of her failures. People always told her she was her own worst critic. She was an exceptionally fast and concentrated learner who could really do anything she put her mind to. She just had to start believing it herself. 

“I didn’t touch the scroll for a year after that. It wasn’t until I was preparing to go on a mission from earlier this year that I remembered I even had it. It fell from one of the bags I rarely use and I started reading it again. I figured since there was no real way to prove that wood style was a kekkei genkai, then my theory was that if I mixed my earth-based chakra with my water-based chakra, then I could use it to create plants, flowers, or even wood,” Sakura said while enthusiastically clasping her hands together to signal hand signs needed for wood release. 

The council looked less than amused. Tsunade beamed down at her with unprecedented pride. The insecure girl she picked up from Konoha was nothing like the girl she saw kneeling before her now. 

“I tried for months with no progress. I stayed up late many nights at Kumo’s public library looking up how to mix chakra elements to create my own special technique. There were no straight forward answers and after months of running in circles, I was ready to call it quits. It wasn’t until our latest mission in the Land of Earth that I realized I could actually do the jutsu.” 

The council members sat up with raised brows. Sakura could feel herself dragging out this explanation. She had better hurry before they locked her up on some random charge. 

“My teammates Karui and Jinora were discussing different theories of how my jutsu could possibly work. We were all joking around about it when they asked to demonstrate what I’d come up with so far. I went through all the motions of the hand seals like times before when all of a sudden a bridge popped up out of nowhere appeared over a turbulent river that the people of Earth had told us they’d planned on building soon. It was a total coincidence. I didn’t even realize that it had happened until I woke up in the hospital after fainting. My teammates and my captain, Killer B, informed me of my power and I haven’t tried again since.” 

The room went deadly silent. A pin drop could be heard. The council spoke in low voices amongst each other. Sakura reeled into herself. 

I’m gonna be jailed for conspiracy or…treason! 

Sakura hugged her body closer to herself. If she didn’t make it back to her team, she was at least thankful that she told them that she loved them before she left. So wrapped up in her own thoughts, Sakura didn’t hear Danzo clearing his throat. She almost jumped out of her skin when a gavel hit the wooden desk. 

“You’ve only done the jutsu once. We have no idea if it was a fluke. You will be held in the investigation unit for the next two weeks. We will also run clinical trials testing your blood for connection to the Senju clan. Lastly, we will run tests to see if you can reproduce the wood style jutsu,” Danzo stated without much expression. 

The other two council members nodded in agreement. Tsunade tilted her head in the elders’ direction. 

“That’s fair,” she said. 

Homura gestured towards the two buff guards. They walked over to Sakura’s crouching form and forcibly raised her by the arms. She was rushed out of the room and almost fell several times trying to regain her footing. When the door slammed close, the elders looked at Tsunade with contempt. She simply smiled and adjusted a stack of papers. 

“That was very irresponsible of you,” Homura commented. 

Tsunade shrugged. Who were they to decide who she taught her grandfather’s technique? It sounded like jealousy since their teacher was the Second Hokage and they’d never gotten close to learning anything about his older brother. 

“Clan techniques should stay within the clan,” Koharu huffed. “I would think you had more respect for your grandfather.” 

Tsunade rolled her eyes as she brushed herself off and rose from her seat. 

“Like my protégée said, there’s no proof that it’s a specific clan technique. Not even I, his blood, can recreate the technique. Would you rather his technique collect dust and be nothing more than fancy memorabilia or pass his spirit onto the next generation?” 

Tsunade didn’t allow them time to answer. She excused herself out of the seedy room and started looking for her star pupil.


	6. Strange Reunion

Naruto could barely contain his excitement. It had been 3 long years, but he’d finally be able to see Sakura again. 

She had left so suddenly. When his father had come to tell him the message Sakura sent him, he was very surprised to learn that she showed remorse for her abrupt departure. Things weren’t the best between them, especially with her fixation on her much cooler teammate, but that showed him that their relationship was improving. 

Not long after Sakura’s departure with Tsunade, Naruto had learned of his training with Jiraiya. Naruto wasn’t that fond of the man, but he was his father’s sensei, so he had to be good. 

Traveling with the man had proved otherwise. Jiraiya was obviously a man of great skill, he was one of the Legendary Sannin for crying out loud, but he had no moral compass. Most of the time that he was supposed to spend training Naruto was occupied by his perverted needs. He peeped in on women’s bathhouses, got drunk, was constantly trying to seduce women way out of his league, and justified it all with “artistic inspiration” for his Icha Icha Paradise series. 

Thankfully, between all of that foolishness, Jiraiya was able to squeeze in time for training. Naruto had learned so many new techniques and he would always be grateful to the man for showing him his potential. Naruto traveled alone with Jiraiya training for around two years before he returned earlier this year. 

Since then, his mother had been teaching him his clan’s sealing techniques and ways to harness his chakra control better as the Kyuubi holder. After the incident at the Chuunin Exams, the village had been on high alert for the return on the Akatsuki. Nobody knew their motives, but jinchuurikis were always the first target in a conflict, so his mother hovered over him incessantly. 

His father had also been training him to use his infamous teleportation technique. There’d been no progress so far, but Naruto nor his father were too worried about it. There’d be plenty of time for him to learn. 

In the meantime, Naruto had been sparring plenty with both Sasuke and Sai. Sasuke had improved exponentially and his Sharingan was proving to be more of a force in battle than ever before. A mix of envy and admiration colored his views of his teammate. That bastard would always be a step ahead of him. 

Sai had definitely shown improvement. He had stayed with him for about a year before he left to train with Jiraiya, but man was he a handful. He was even worse than the bastard. One thing Naruto could say about Sasuke was that no matter how low he went, he always had tact. He would never call him something as crude as “Dickless”, especially not in public. 

He was a thorn in the sunshine boy’s side and Naruto was relieved to know that he would be training with Jiraiya instead of spending another minute with him. But even before he left, he could see Sai’s façade cracking. Besides Sasuke, Kakashi, and Naruto, Sai had no one else to talk to. The boy had no tact and was extremely mean-spirited. 

Naruto had seen him one day as he passed by the library reading on how to garner friendships and hoped he’d be okay. When he came back, Sai was still rough around the edges, but he was much better than before. The pale boy spoke about Ino at length and he figured she was a large part of his assimilation to normalcy. Sai still slipped up from time to time, but at least he had a censor now. Naruto, 

Kakashi, Sai, Sasuke, and Tsunade were sitting in the Hokage’s office listening to the ticking of a nearby clock. Every second passed agonizingly slow. It felt like forever before they heard the clomping of heavy boots coming around the foyer. 

The chakra signature was fairly huge, not as vast as Naruto’s, but definitely a lot for the average ninja. However, Naruto would remember the sweetness of her chakra from anywhere. All but Sai seemed to realize this too, because he could see their backs stiffen in anticipation. The doors opened and you could hear everyone’s breath catch in their throats. 

Here was Sakura in the flesh. No longer did she have those short, tattered tresses as a result of a spur of the moment haircut with a kunai. Now, her luscious pink hair fell down her back in waves. On her forehead was the same purple diamond as her mentor. She had also grown into her forehead. She had become a real beauty in her time away. 

No longer was she the mousy, awkward looking girl that they had grown up with. She was a bit small and waif thin with muscle definition in her arms and calves. She was wearing a black sweater and sweat pants. A little worse for wear, but she didn’t look like she’d been too roughed up in her lockdown time. Naruto was the first to react. 

“SAKURA-CHAAAN!” he exclaimed. He jumped on her to get a hug and luckily Sakura was strong enough to hold them both up before falling. She giggled as he nuzzled his face against hers. The tension in the room lightened and everyone was either smiling or laughing. 

Kakashi got up from his seat and removed Naruto from his koala grip on Sakura. “Alright Naruto, let her go before she falls down,” Kakashi said in jest. 

Sakura dusted herself off and walked over to Tsunade’s desk. The older woman looked up at her with a smirk. “So how’d it go?” 

Sakura shrugged. A look that none of the men could decipher passed between them. “Nothing Tsunade-sama’s apprentice couldn’t handle,” the young girl replied with a smirk.   
Tsunade chuckled remembering all the good times spent together during training. Sakura looked at her mentor apprehensively. Naruto could tell there was something bothering her because she always used to make that face before she asked Sasuke on a date or voiced her worries to Ino. 

Her eyebrows flittered together in worry causing wrinkles in her forehead to form. She twiddled her fingers together before looking back up at Tsunade. “Do you think I’ll be able to join my team again after…all of this?” Sakura asked. 

Her voice was coated with insecurity. Naruto shook his head in disbelief. How could she think she wouldn’t be welcomed back with them? He walked over to Sakura’s hunched over form, picked her up, and twirled her around. Naruto didn’t notice her confused expression. 

“Of course you can come back to us again, Sakura-chan!” he exclaimed oblivious to the worried glances exchanged between apprentice and mentor. 

When he placed her back down on the ground, she took a moment to recollect herself and ease her dizziness. All of a sudden, an idea popped into Naruto’s head. “Hey, we should all celebrate Team 7 being reunited with Ichiraku’s. Like old times.” 

Groans came from all over the room. Sasuke didn’t bother with a reaction. He simply turned his head towards the open window. Sai, with a fake smile attached to his face, looked worried. Naruto’s appetite for ramen was never-ending and he swore he’d had enough this week to last a lifetime. Kakashi looked exasperated. As much as he loved his ever excitable student, his frequent trips to Ichiraku’s were a nuisance and went past his work time needed for team bonding. Sakura and Tsunade looked at each other knowing that the young girl’s talk of rejoining teams didn’t include Team 7. 

Nor was Sakura mentally well enough to have a meal with or in front of her former teammates. Sakura and Tsunade shared a glance and nodded in agreement. “There’s still a lot that has to be worked out with Sakura’s arrival. She won’t be able to go out freely for a few more days,” Tsunade explained while getting up to escort the guys out. 

With strong hands, she was able to grab all the guys up and usher them near the door of her office. 

“Sakura won’t be available to eat out with you for a while. I’ll let you know when her situation’s clear. Bye!” Tsunade said with a final push. 

Naruto and the rest of Team 7 stood on the other side of the Hokage’s abruptly closed door in confusion. They didn’t think much of it before leaving for Ichiraku’s with Naruto in the lead.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Sakura and Tsunade faced each other for a moment just taking in each other’s appearance. Their breaths caught in their throats. It was a long spell before they both ran over to each other and embraced. They hugged each other fiercely. 

It was almost like they were afraid that one of them would drift away if given the opportunity. Tears of joy and shared memories clouded their squeezed eyes. They broke apart and looked at each other. Both wiped at the tears dripping down their cheeks. A laugh broke the tension in the room. 

“How are you?” Tsunade asked the young girl with the tears causing her voice to shake. Sakura took a deep breath and shook her head. It had been such a long time since she’d seen her mentor. A friendly face after two weeks of heavy testing and investigating was a relief. 

“I could be better. I was certainly roughed up in investigation,” Sakura replied with tears lingering in her voice. “Do you think I’ll be able to join my team? Y’know, my new team?” 

Sakura could see Tsunade’s back shoot up ram rod straight. The older woman bit at her lip nervously that reminded Sakura a lot of herself. Tsunade trudged back over to her desk and went through a few files in one of her several drawers. She pulled out a thick folder with loads of documents and pushed it toward the edge of the desk. Sakura walked over to the desk and started rummaging through the stack of papers. 

“I can try to get you reinstated on Team Bee, but it’ll take a while. The council and outsiders knowing that there’s a wood style user with no familial connection to the Senju will be a highly sought after target. You could be tossed up in a human trafficking ring and experimented on,” Tsunade stated solemnly. “And nobody’ll say it, but we’re still suffering from the Chuunin Exams attack and security has been heightened since the Akatsuki’s appearance.”

A severity had coated her voice. Sakura stiffened in fear. She hadn’t begun to think of the repercussions of her new technique. She flipped through the numerous papers of the stack. 

Tsunade sighed. “I will try to get you back as soon as possible…but you’re gonna have to bear with me. You are a liability, the council has hated this international program since its opening, and they hate me, so you being my apprentice doesn’t help.” 

Sakura furrowed her eyebrows in worry. She filtered through the stack for the nth time still trying to decipher what she read. The security threats just seemed to pile on. 

“What’s all of this?” Sakura asked. 

Tsunade deflated. The news obviously wasn’t going to get better. 

“There’s been talks of an investigation into the international program in Kumo because many applicants have been putting in new applications to return. It’s a booming business for Kumo to have all those now high level ninja there and its put a strain on every other village’s economy,” the older woman explained. 

Sakura slumped in defeat. She’d probably never see her team again. 

Just when I’d thought I’d found somewhere that I belonged. 

Sakura bit her nails. This was not going to turn out good. She wouldn’t be able to avoid Team 7 forever, especially Naruto. There was only so much time before she’d have to eat in front of them. She could feel her anxiety rise. When the familiar shakes and restricted breathing of a panic attack were coming on, Tsunade placed an encouraging hand into her shoulder. 

“If things start to get hard that you can’t handle it, just tell me. I’ll try as hard as I can to help you, but I need you to trust me.” 

Sakura took Tsunade’s hand in hers. She squeezed it and shook her head. The look that passed between them was of hurt and remembrance. Sakura never wanted to sink that low. She promised her team and Tsunade to always try. 

“I’ll hold on for everybody. I won’t let you down Tsunade-shishou. Not you or anyone else.” 

A smile passed between the two and Sakura knew that she’d be alright.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Sakura walked into her new apartment. It was completely barren aside from the pre-installed furniture. Everything was pristine. She had a balcony and the view was nice. It was located near the Hokage Tower. The council had decided that it was best to keep her close to them just in case she tried to “commit treason” or whatever they believed. 

Sakura was a bit miffed by the mistreatment, but she brushed it off. The freak accident would be a worrisome situation for any village. She just hated feeling like she couldn’t be trusted. 

Sakura plopped onto one of the couches. A layer of dust rose up from it and she was sent into a coughing fit. 

I’ll have to clean this all tomorrow. 

Knowing that she’d be staying in Konoha for an indefinite amount of time scared the shit out of her. Kumogakure had the resources she needed to stay sane. Although Konoha also possessed mental health resources, they weren’t nearly as developed as Kumogakure’s and Sakura had already fallen into a schedule with her own appointed therapist. It would take a while before Sakura got used to a new therapist to be able to express how she felt without fear of forced hospitalization or career termination. 

The young girl shuddered. That was her greatest fear. If she lost her career just after finally getting a head start on it, Sakura honestly believed that she would kill herself. What else could she do if she was no longer welcome to the career she had worked so hard to get? She was a jounin, a rank she’d never believed she would reach, and she would be damned if poor mental health resources or a shoddy therapist took that away from her. 

But being here, alone in her apartment, without the support of her teammates and no contact with her family, was lonely. She hadn’t been able to take her meds with her in the rush back to Konoha and she wasn’t sure how long she’d last without them. 

I’m so fucked. 

Sakura dragged a hand over her face. This transition was going to be hard. She didn’t have any of her clothes with her, so she’d have to go shopping tomorrow. Food would also pose a problem. Even though Sakura was working to get better, she still kept safe foods to cope. The last time she’d been in Konoha, there were no traces of the safe foods she had access to in Kumo. While she could try to eat healthy, sacrificing her safe foods would pose a big problem in the future. 

There was also the prospect of running into her old classmates/friends. Her departure had been abrupt and she hadn’t kept in contact with anyone. The reunification would definitely be awkward. She couldn’t imagine being able to speak to anyone but Naruto. Her nerves were bad just being in the room with Kakashi, Sasuke, and whoever that new guy was. 

Sakura thought of her parents and receded further into herself. She hadn’t been in contact with them for three years. Not a single letter had been sent. Even after she had time for her anger to dissipate, she just found that there was really nothing to tell them. They weren’t interested in her ninja career. There was nothing else in Sakura’s life but being a ninja. Writing letters seemed pointless. 

Plus, there was always that bitter feeling that formed in the pit of her stomach. This was the only way she could get back at them; why wouldn’t she take the opportunity? There were some nights where she felt so alone that she almost picked up a pencil and wrote a letter. But just thinking of their actions made her stop every time. 

Sakura sighed. None of her time here in her home town would be smooth sailing. There was so much that was left unsaid in her departure. How would she even begin to talk to Ino? Or reintegrate into the Rookie 9? 

Sakura raised up from the dusty couch and sauntered over to her balcony. She opened the doors and breathed in the fresh air. The vivid night life of Konoha rushed into her ears and filled her vision with bright lights. Sakura would try her best to adjust to life here. She just hoped she wouldn’t have to for very long.


	7. Family

A random set of circumstances had led Sasuke to being Orochimaru’s apprentice. 

It was highly believed that he was involved in the Chuunin Exams attack, but with no proof, the village could do nothing but restrict his movement. How he got in the village and been detained was another story. It didn’t make it better that his former teacher, the Third Hokage, had a soft spot for his flighty student. Sarutobi’s word alone kept the snake-like man from being executed. 

While there was no proof of involvement in the Chuunin Exams, he was known to fool around with human experimenting. The council figured that if they were able to use the illegal things he did for his own benefit, then that would help lighten the sentence he would receive. It was the least the man could do for the village he tried to destroy from the inside out. 

That was how Sasuke and Orochimaru found themselves in one of Konoha’s underground labs. The Sannin was messing around with vials of varying sizes full of oddly colored liquids. The sounds of machines working overtime for his experiments reverbated off of the damp, soiled walls. 

Kabuto walked into the room holding a basket of filled vials. He slid it next to the project Orochimaru was already working on. 

Sasuke sat in a seat far away from all the experiments. He readjusted himself repeatedly. He was getting agitated with all this mundane activity. He wanted to train. Not make DIY projects with his teacher. 

Orochimaru, sensing his annoyance, looked over at him with a smirk. “I heard your teammate’s back in town.” 

Sasuke shrugged. It was best to wait out this conversation before giving a response. Orochimaru never made innocent statements. 

“Ah, so that’s what Tsunade-sama’s been buzzing about for the past few weeks,” Kabuto said with feigned surprise. “She seemed very excited to reunite with her apprentice.” 

Sasuke huffed in annoyance. Orochimaru always made him uncomfortable, but the man had never feigned to be anything other than what he presented himself as. Sasuke knew that his mentor was interested in his eyes and Sasuke knew that Orochimaru could give him power to leverage over his brother and Naruto. They both benefitted from the relationship with no emotional strings attached. 

It was Kabuto that bothered him. He was more of a snake than Orochimaru. Sasuke could not figure out that man’s intentions. He was a medic with no sense of genuine intentions. Kabuto always offered to heal Sasuke after a hard day of training, but he always refused. Just the thought of the slimy man poking and prodding him with his slimy hands made him uneasy. Not to mention he also hated hospitals to boot. 

There was always this sinister look in Kabuto’s eyes that Sasuke hated. As if he was looking down on him. Not to mention the condescension that was always evident in the man’s tone. Sasuke just wished that he could train with Orochimaru alone. 

“She’s back early though, isn’t she?” Orochimaru asked in a tone that suggested he already knew the answer to his question. 

Kabuto looked the older man up and down in genuine confusion. It was obvious he didn’t care for any current event outside of one’s that concerned himself. Orochimaru smirked at him. 

“The council has been trying to keep it hushed, but the tales have traveled throughout most villages. Some rumors have been more exaggerated than others, but all the stories tell that Sakura is a wood style user now,” Orochimaru mentioned in a devious tone. 

He saw Sasuke’s face move minimally in interest and shock and knew he’d caught him hook, line and sinker. The boy was always interested in stories about those becoming stronger. Especially if the boy knew them personally. 

Orochimaru didn’t know much about the boy’s former team dynamics, but if gathering his attitude towards his current teammates and everyone else around him, he probably didn’t think much of her. The way he perked up at the news told him that Sasuke would probably be paying much more attention to Sakura in the future. 

Orochimaru hummed absentmindedly to himself. In the time after this, he was sure that things would get more interesting.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Sasuke opened the front door of his house and was greeted with the aroma of his mother’s cooking. His stomach growled on instinct. She noticed him when the door clicked closed and she smiled in his direction. 

“I’m home,” he said for no other reason than routine. 

His mother was flitting all over the kitchen getting the food prepared. Sasuke slipped off his shoes at the front door. He walked into the kitchen and relieved his mother of some of her duties. He put the pots she was carrying down onto the counters or stoves where they belonged. After placing them down, he went over to the sink and began washing some of the dishes. 

Mikoto walked over to him and rubbed his back in thanks. “My little baby always helping his mother,” Mikoto said with a sincere smile. 

If you blinked you’d miss it, but Sasuke’s cheeks and ears reddened slightly. Mikoto laughed at his shyness. All the Uchiha men were the same when it came to affection and love. A clan known for its immense love that eventually led to their deaths becoming reticent and unemotional was simply a coping mechanism over time. Almost like a newly developed evolutionary trait. Mikoto laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. 

When Sasuke finished with the dishes, he grabbed a spare towel hanging on the oven’s railing and wiped them all down. It was tedious work, but his mother was very anal about cleanliness and he didn’t want to hear her complaints later on. 

Meanwhile, Mikoto prepared a table for two. Her husband wouldn’t be back from police work until later tonight and Itachi was on another one of his long ANBU missions. It was lunch time and she was honestly surprised to even see Sasuke at this time of day. 

“Was training cut short today, honey?” Mikoto called out from the dining room. 

“Yes,” he replied with a stiff tone. 

Mikoto knew that was all the explanation she was going to get. Sasuke was in one of his moods again and it’d take a while to pry his feelings out of him. She sighed just thinking of all the emotional labor. Sometimes, she wished she had a normal family where everyone could speak to each other freely. But the pressure of being an Uchiha was fatal and she could understand why they remained so reticent and guarded. 

Just when she was finished with setting the table, the front door was burst open. Mikoto looked up to see her husband with a mildly annoyed look on his face. She rushed over to greet him with a kiss. 

“Oh dear, I didn’t know you’d be home so early. What brings you here at this time?” 

Fugaku walked past Mikoto with nothing more than an annoyed huff. She took a deep breath and rolled her eyes. He could try having a little compassion. 

Sasuke emerged from the kitchen and took a seat at the dining table. She saw his back stiffen when his father sat across from him. Mikoto ran a hand through her hair. This lunch was going to be tense. 

“I came home because I heard something from someone at work that I just had to clarify,” Fugaku stated. 

His eyes roamed over Sasuke’s uninterested form. There was obviously something afoot involving Sasuke. Again. Their relationship had always been rocky, especially with the constant comparisons between him and his older brother. But it had been on an ongoing downward spiral since being instated on his ninja team. Mikoto just couldn’t figure these two out. 

She grabbed the food from the kitchen and filled each plate with food. Everyone dug in quietly for the first few minutes. Mikoto hoped for a moment that they’d be able to finish their meal in piece, but it was obvious that she was asking for far too much. 

“So you’re still working with Orochimaru?” Fugaku asked. 

It was painfully obvious that he already knew the answer. He was only growing more irritated because Sasuke didn’t even bother to look up from his food. He was eating smugly. Fugaku sneered at his arrogance. 

“I am,” Sasuke replied in between mouthfuls of food. “It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with.” 

Mikoto held her face in her palms. Sasuke had to be asking for it. He was goading his father into an argument that she knew neither would hold back from. Mikoto didn’t know if she’d be able to help him this time. 

“Are you trying to sabotage everything this clan has worked for?!” Fugaku shouted. 

He had slammed his hands on the table and caused everyone’s plates to move. Food went everywhere. Sasuke brushed off his soiled clothes and rose to his full height. He looked his father dead in the eye. An intense stare down ensued. 

“All the shit that this clan has had to go through just to be respected and here you are, a sorry excuse for a son, training under a known criminal?!” 

Mikoto flinched. She prayed that this recurring debate would be over. It was obvious that Sasuke wasn’t going to stop. It actually seemed he was continuing to do it just to spite his father, but Fugaku just wouldn’t let it go. 

“We’ve had to deal with bullshit claims from outsiders about our clans for generations! Starting from the Second Hokage, we were treated like second class citizens! We complied with all his discriminatory actions and were left in the back of this fucking village! Not to mention, if it hadn’t been for Itachi’s loyalty to the clan, the council would’ve had us all fucking murdered and Itachi live his life as a psychotic killer!” Fugaku went on. 

A slight look of surprise appeared on Sasuke’s face before he rearranged back into one of unabated anger. His father looked at him like a petulant child. 

“And now…we have you here. A part of my fucking legacy making his best effort to reverse all efforts put in to get better PR around our clan by working with a fucking village traitor!” 

Sasuke made a noise of dismissal. Mikoto looked up from behind her clasped hands and watched Sasuke. He was shaking in anger and she was scared of where this conversation would go. 

“His reputation has nothing to do with me. He was willing to teach me. I went where I was welcomed,” Sasuke replied in his usual monotone. 

Mikoto could see her husband’s jaw clenching down harshly and knew she had to intervene. She rose from her seat and moved to pick up the ruined plates. She walked over to Sasuke’s side and placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“Sasuke, consider what your father’s saying. It was only by the grace of the Third Hokage that Itachi’s mission was called off and we were able to discuss a plan of action with the council. Villagers are still wary of us and everything we do is still put under a microscope,” Mikoto explained. 

Sasuke never moved his eyes from Fugaku’s cold stare. Mikoto took her son’s face in her hands. His eyes were still focused on his father’s for a moment before she could capture his attention. 

“You are not an island Sasuke. Please consider me and your father’s concerns.” 

Sasuke looked down at his mother with a softened look. He removed her hands from his face and stormed off to his room. When the familiar slam of his door sounded off, Mikoto turned to her husband with her hands on her hips. 

“Really Fugaku? Must you rehash this argument every week?” 

Fugaku looked away, slightly embarrassed. Being admonished by his wife made him feel like a misbehaved child. He started to clean the mess he’d made of his food. 

“The kid’s a dam brat. Someone has to knock some sense into him.” 

Mikoto shook her head and playfully hit him with a spare towel. They cleaned the table and started on another meal together.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Sakura opened the door to her barren apartment after a long day of treating people at the hospital. It was the most she was allowed to do that didn’t teeter into dangerous territory according to the council. Sakura didn’t mind because she just liked feeling useful. 

Sakura opened her newly filled fridge and pulled out a vine of grapes. She was snacking on them when she heard a knock at her balcony window. It was probably the ANBU agent they’d assigned to her. She looked up and saw the man that they introduced to her as Yamato, another wood user without familial ties to the Senju clan. 

It was odd to her how they didn’t seem phased by his ability, but were so astonished by hers. She didn’t dwell on it for too long though. As soon as they realized she wasn’t a threat, the sooner she’d be back in Kumo. 

Sakura walked over to her balcony and unlocked the door. She slid the glass panel to the side and greeted Yamato with a small wave. He responded with a small grunt and a shallow bow. 

“The council have messaged me and said that they’re allowing you a couple visitors for the night,” he stated without much emotion. 

Sakura was unsettled by the man. He was so robotic and his eyes were dead like fish whenever he spoke. He was definitely a product of his line of work. 

“Do you know who they sent?” 

Yamato shook his head. She expected that. He never asked for more than what he was told. That or either he was instructed to tell her nothing. Sakura bid him a good night and slid her balcony door closed. 

When she was closing the curtains, she heard a knock at her door. Sakura pushed her bags in the corner where they couldn’t be seen and ran to the door. She fixed herself a bit before opening the door. She was greeted with the image of both of her parents staring wide-eyed at her in confusion. 

A moment passed before either party reacted. This was definitely a situation where Sakura would have wanted to know who was coming beforehand. Mebuki straightened herself up and tried to act normally. 

“Well…are you going to let us in?” 

Sakura snapped herself out of her surprised stupor and held the door open wide enough for both her parents enter. She watched them eye the barren apartment in silent judgement. Sakura could feel the snarky comments coming. 

“It’s very…spacious,” her mother offered. Her father nodded his head in agreement. 

Sakura closed the door behind her and walked over to join her parents in the living room. She ushered them over to a table in the dining area. When they sat, all three fidgeted and avoided each other’s gazes. Kizashi, feeling brave, tried to start a conversation. 

“When’d you get back in town?” 

“A little over two weeks ago,” Sakura said barely above a whisper. 

Mebuki looked at her incredulously. “You’ve been here for over two weeks and didn’t think to come visit us once?!” 

Sakura looked at her, half ashamed and half shy, and watched the anger fester. Her mother was about to get started on one of her rants just like old times. 

“I couldn’t come see you because I was under investigation. How’d you even find out I was here?” Sakura asked. 

She really didn’t want to start with her parents tonight, but the way her mother was getting riled up, she felt that it was inevitable. Mebuki took a deep breath and clasped her hands together in her lap. She’d been learning simple breathing exercises to help her calm down in her daughter’s absence. 

“We heard about it from your teammate Naruto. He’s been telling anyone who’ll listen actually,” her mother replied in a tone mixed with mild amusement and annoyance.   
Sakura smiled. She could always count on Naruto to cheer her on. 

“Well haven’t you at least heard why I’ve been brought back so early? Or at least something from the town gossip about my most recent mission?” 

Kizashi rubbed his face with both of his hands. He knew that this had something to do with her being a ninja, but he’d never expected her to cause such a big problem. He’d never known her to be a rule breaker nor a particularly strong kunoichi that would cause enough trouble to be someone’s target. 

“We haven’t heard anything. Please explain it to us,” Kizashi asked in exasperation. 

Sakura felt slighted. She was hoping they’d at least heard of her triumphs. For once, she felt a bit proud of herself and her career. He didn’t have to sound so dismissive. She looked down at her hands in her lap. 

Nothing ever changes does it? 

“I’m a wood style user now,” Sakura explained. 

Shock was evident on both her parents’ faces. The last time they’d seen her, she’d been a completely useless kunoichi with no other motivation to be a ninja than wanting to be near her childhood crush. 

“You can use the First Hokage’s technique?” her father asked with his mouth and eyes wide open. 

Sakura nodded her head shyly. Mebuki was polite enough to cover her mouth. She slid her hand across the table in front of Sakura. 

“We’ve no history with the Senju, though. How is this possible?” 

Sakura shrugged. “That’s what they’re trying to find out,” she said flatly. 

Kizashi and Mebuki shook their heads in disbelief. There was obviously a lot more that they’d have to catch up with their daughter about.


	8. New Reality

Sakura was working around the hospital. She had been getting herself acquainted with all hospital staff and personnel for the past week. She was slowly learning everyone’s names, but she still slipped up from time to time. 

Today she was walking around doing mostly paperwork. Sakura was sure most of it was unloaded onto her from the piles of work that Tsunade was avoiding with booze.  
Sakura sat down in one of the vacant offices. She was halfway through one of her stacks when a knock sounded at the door. “It’s open!” she shouted without looking up from her paperwork. She could hear the door creaking open. 

A loud gasp made her look up. Sakura was face to face with Ino. She was as gorgeous as ever. Her crop top showed off her nice, slim figure and the mini skirt she donned made her hip bones stick out like a model’s. 

I wish my body looked like that. 

Ino rushed over to Sakura’s side, behind the desk, and gave her a big hug. “Oh my god Forehead, long time no see!” 

Sakura reluctantly hugged Ino back. Their nasty nicknames for each other had always bothered her. They only bothered her more when she realized her inadequacy on Team 7. Having a big forehead along with an oddly proportioned body didn’t make her feel any better about herself. Sakura patted Ino’s back a few more times before the girl released her.  
Ino looked her over with a playful smirk. “Stand up! Let me see you Forehead.” 

Sakura stood up robotically. Ino motioned for her to spin around and Sakura complied without complaint. Ino scanned her body like a card reader. 

“I definitely thought you would’ve filled out a bit by now. I guess not everyone can be as good looking as me,” Ino said playfully while gesturing to his own body. 

Sakura let loose a dry, half-hearted laugh. This was not a conversation she was ready to have. Ino and Sakura had been competing with each other for years. Even though Sakura would always be grateful for Ino seeing the potential in her, she felt that they were so detrimental for each other. Sakura feared that if she hung out with her as regularly as she had before that she’d end up competing with her for stupid things again. The last time they’d competed she’d ended up needing a therapist and a steady dose of meds. 

Ino paced around the room watching Sakura like a hawk after its pray. Sakura readjusted the white coat she wore over her body. 

“Y’know, since you’re in town, the girls and I were planning to go out to eat at the new barbecue place near the center of the village. You should come with us,” Ino said while looking at her freshly painted nails. 

One thing about Ino was that if she wanted someone to do something for her, she knew how to get you to do it. Going out to eat with a large group of people she hadn’t spoken to in years was the farthest thing off of her agenda. It was a recipe for disaster. 

Before Sakura could come up with an excuse, Ino was up in Sakura’s personal space again holding onto her shoulders. Sakura went rigid with fear. She hadn’t even seen her walk back behind the desk. 

“I think I can even get the guys to come. It can be a welcome back party for you! I’m gonna plan it now and pick you up when I have everything sorted out.” 

Sakura was still unable to speak after the girl was done. Ino kissed her on the cheek and zoomed out of the office space. She’d left a messed up stack of papers in her wake. Sakura sighed and bent down to pick up the papers. She’d have to prep herself for the upcoming event for the next few days.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
The council, Tsunade, Minato, the Third Hokage, and the rest of the Sannin sat in a highly surveilled room in the Hokage Tower. They all sat across from each other at a long, rectangular table. The air conditioning was blasting and Tsunade have never wished for a jacket more than she did now. Jiraiya offered his jacket multiple times, but Tsunade refused profusely every time. 

When an ANBU level ninja closed the doors to the high security room, the council looked up from their stacks of papers. “We’re here to address the growing concern surrounding the international program in Kumo,” Koharu huffed while looking down the bridge of her nose. “I’ve been very vocal about my disdain for the program. It was a very irresponsible decision of Minato. The villages are meant to be separate. We all specialize in different techniques and teaching methods. If we all train together, then everyone becomes the same and the competition for missions gets worse.” 

Everyone took a moment to consider. It was a very valid argument. The villages thrived off of being different from one another. They relied on their specialties to receive certain missions. If the continued existence of this program happened, nothing would be unique about any of the villages. 

Minato looked a bit sheepish. He was encouraged, maybe even forced to, by Tsunade to agree to the program because she had signed up an applicant. However, he felt that even if she hadn’t forced his hand, he would’ve signed off on it anyway. There had been three great ninja wars as a result of the villages’ differences. Learning that they were more alike than different could benefit everyone. 

“If I may speak, Koharu-san,” Minato spoke with his hand raised like a schoolchild. Koharu and the rest of the council nodded their heads in acknowledgement. 

“This program was created in order to decrease the growing tensions between all the villages that resulted in the attacks at the Chuunin Exams,” he weighed. “I think we were very close to creating another war as the result of the attack. When Kumo reached out to us about it, it was very shocking. We hadn’t spoken to them directly in years. It was a good gateway to bettering the relations between all ninja countries.” 

The table once again took time to reconsider. Minato looked at all the thoughtful faces and felt his confidence swell. He had often been disparaged for being such a young Hokage, especially by the council, but he felt that he had done a good job with his time. The village never had many bad things to say about him either. 

The Third cleared his throat and everyone’s heads snapped in his direction. “I agree with Minato,” Sarutobi said in his gravelly voice. He took a long drag from his pipe and exhaled. Koharu covered her mouth while Danzo looked at his actions as a display of rudeness. 

“Minato’s focus was mainly on refortifying the relations between ninja nations. After the Third Ninja War, we all agreed that we would never have our children face another. We lost so many young lives for naught. As long as all the villages are cooperating, what’s the harm in having a select few train together?” 

Danzo’s eyes squinted in disdain. He had never liked Sarutobi and he felt that he was a weak leader without a backbone. 

“Should we really trust your judgement Sarutobi? Your weakness has led to this terrorist still being able to walk around the village untouched,” Danzo spat while gesturing in Orochimaru’s direction. 

Orochimaru looked over at Danzo with his signature smirk. He loved the way that he could so easily tap dance on the nerves of the elders. “You’re so willing to let a terrorist experiment on your beloved citizen’s for your benefit,” the snake Sannin hissed. 

Danzo didn’t flinch. He always believed that someone had to do the dirty work that others were too scared to do for the sake of the village. If protecting his village meant he was the bad guy, then so be it. 

The other council members backs’ went ramrod straight. 

“Tell the truth my dear superiors. Are you upset that that girl was able to replicate Hashirama’s technique without any help or that you’ve been making me experiment on your beloved citizens for years with very little success?” 

Danzo had half a mind to reach across the table and strangle the snake Sannin. Orochimaru, with a smug look, regarded the elders without a care. Koharu and Homaru looked pissed that he had revealed classified information. Jiraiya was incredibly mortified. 

“When we find out that you’re somehow involved with the Akatsuki, not even Sarutobi will be able to stop me from personally skinning you alive,” Danzo growled in a low voice.  
Tsunade simply shook her head, not in disbelief, but disappointment. The council was as hypocritical as they come. Everything that went wrong was never their fault. They liked to prop themselves up as some moral compass, but they were as corrupt as they came. 

Tsunade clasped her hands together and got everyone’s attention. “Before we go off the rails here, let’s look at the facts. This program has fostered the highest amount of skilled kunoichi that we have ever seen in ninja history,” Tsunade stated. “It’s a problem we’ve been trying to amend for years. This program has done in three years what we’ve been trying to undo for decades.” 

The room shifted in unease. This was always a touchy topic. Women in ninja careers were far and few between as a result of many factors, but mostly sexism and misogyny. Even the ones who did end up making it to jounin level were very few because nobody took their female teammates or students seriously. 

From the history of ninjas being made up of mostly males to even when integrating women and girls into the field, most people, women and men alike, focused on their male students while expecting their female students to figure something out on their own because they’re “mature” and “don’t need to be worried about” like their male counterparts. Pretty much everyone in the room had played a hand in this system in some form or another. 

“I won’t deny that Tsunade,” Homaru started. “But the fact remains that this is too risky. The applicants have been requesting to return to this program in mass. And if your claim about this program fostering in our highest number of skilled kunoichi is right, then why can’t they adjust to their home village’s ninja system and take missions with their previous team?” he questioned with that familiar condescension in his tone that always came out when speaking to the Senju woman. 

Tsunade clenched her fists. As much as she tried to remain calm, the elders always knew how to push her to her limits. 

“Maybe they’re only highly-skilled in Kumo,” Koharu mocked haughtily behind a spare fan she held in front of her face. 

Tsunade gritted her teeth. Being an asshole to her was their favorite hobby. She could say the sky was blue and they’d counter her saying it was actually periwinkle just for the sake of arguing. 

Jiraiya looked around the room nervously. The tension was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. This conversation was going to become a screaming match if they kept talking. The frog Sannin stood up from his chair and cleared his throat. All attention averted to him and he was suddenly feeling sheepish. Tense situations like this were why he always left the hard work to Tsunade. 

“Let’s all calm down. We can make this work for everyone,” Jiraiya suggested with a nervous lilt in his tone. “If we’re all so worried about the future ramifications of this program, why not hear every village’s side of this in a Kage summit?” 

The table looked up at him in careful speculation. It would definitely be a gamble trying to get all the village leaders in one place without it becoming a culmination of past transgressions laid out on the table. 

“We could also allow the applicants to go back temporarily to observe them and see why there’s such a push amongst that group to return. Kumo obviously did something right if all the applicants are requesting to go back.” 

“While that’s all fine and dandy, are you thinking of the strain this could put on all ninja village’s economies?” Danzo countered. “I’m sure Kumo would be happy to invite all those applicants back. They’ve made out like a bandit for the past three years! They’ve still got people across all nations requesting those international teams for missions and refusing all others.” 

So that was the true problem they were getting at. Jiraiya should’ve known it had nothing to do with actually appreciating the loyal ninjas of their villages. Those ninjas who went to Kumo had been genin that were severely underused in their previous teams who blossomed past all expectations and fostered greater relations among their new teams that resulted in better dynamics needed for missions. 

The councils in all ninja nations were afraid to lose money and this program originally intended to create great relations amongst all villages had turned into nothing more than capitalistic greed. 

Jiraiya shook his head in disbelief. He’d have to stop being so naïve. 

“Well, how about we just try this out for now and if it doesn’t work then maybe we can try one of you guys’ plans.” 

Jiraiya looked around the room. Everyone looked uncomfortable and downright displeased. When he heard multiple grunts of involuntary agreement, he smiled in triumph.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Naruto was roof hopping at the speed of light back to his apartment. He had just come back from a late night romp at Ichiraku’s ramen stand and he knew his mom was going to kill him. 

Not that she hadn’t said so a million times before, but she’d deliberately told him a thousand times before he left this morning to not go to Ichiraku’s because he’d spoil his appetite for the big dinner they were having tonight. He hadn’t remembered it until his last morsel of ramen. He went into panic mode and zoomed back to his house. 

He was standing on the rooftop of his apartment hoping to sneak his way in through the window when he overheard his parents speaking in low voices. 

“Is it really that bad dear?” his mother’s voice carried through the air. 

Naruto crouched down to adjust himself in a comfortable seating position. He couldn’t hear his father’s reaction, but he could tell that it was bad because of his mother’s exaggerated gasps. 

“It’s terrible Kushina. You should’ve seen the council in there. We still don’t have a final conclusion.” 

“How is that different from any other time you’ve spoken to them,” Kushina joked. 

A small laugh escaped Minato. Naruto listened in as they playfully swatted each other in a friendly banter. 

“I’m serious Kushina. I don’t know what they expect to happen. That girl I told you about, Sakura, they’ve been keeping her under lockdown for being able to use wood jutsu, but it’s obvious that there’s more to their problem with the international ninja program and Kumo,” his father blurted out like word vomit. 

Soothing noises oozed from his mother’s mouth. Naruto could hear his father pull out a chair and slump down into it. He could tell by now that his mother was probably rubbing soothing circles into his father’s back. 

“Don’t worry about it, honey. I’m sure they’re just being senile old coots like usual.” 

“I don’t know dear. Something seems off this time. It’s like they expect the worst to happen.” 

Naruto could hear his mother patting his father’s shoulder loudly. A nervous laugh emitted from Minato. Naruto laughed imagining his father’s face. 

“Maybe they’re just worried because she’s been placed on another team with a jinchuuriki,” Kushina said, but sounded more like she was questioning her own logic. 

His father moved around in his chair. “I don’t understand why they would be worried about something like that. If anything, that would pose more of a problem for Kumo than Konoha. Plus, I doubt she even knows about Naruto’s situation.” 

His mother made a noise of consideration. Naruto could tell that she’d probably thrown her hands up in mock surrender and shook her head. She was always one to try to keep her husband’s affairs away from home because it kept everyone relaxed. 

“Well, whatever it is they’re so worried about, I’m sure it will be revealed in due time. For now, let’s just unwind.” 

Naruto could hear loud footsteps moving away from the kitchen. He listened in when all motion and speaking finally stopped. By the time he’d heard the window slide open, he’d already slipped trying to escape from his hiding place. 

“NARUTOOOOO!” his mother yelled. 

He had thankfully fallen in a bush that cushioned his fall. His mother looked down at him with her red hair blazing and waving her wooden spoon around. Naruto gulped. He was going to get an earful tonight. 

“I KNOW YOU WERE AT ICHIRAKU’S! WHEN YOU GET UP HERE, I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!” 

Naruto untangled himself from the bushes and ascended the steps to his shared apartment in resigned defeat.


	9. Fanned Out Flames

Kakashi was at the front desk counter of the hospital. He was having friendly banter with the front desk clerk when he saw a head of pink hair speeding past the waiting room. He left the clerk with a quick goodbye before bounding off in his former student’s direction. 

He hadn’t made much of an effort to go see her since her return. Not that he could see her even if he tried. She was under heavy lock and key with the council. And anything involving the elders would be hard to access. His reintroduction to her was cut short, too. She almost seemed to be avoiding contact with him. 

He didn’t dwell on it too much. She had been rushed back to Konoha immediately after a long mission from what he’d heard and then immediately placed in the investigation unit for two weeks. She was probably a nervous wreck after all that she endured. 

Sakura was hitting another corner when Kakashi finally caught up to her. He held her in place with a firm grasp to the shoulder. He saw a shudder run down her entire body before she turned to face him with a face full of worry and confusion. She was holding a box with a bunch of files on top of it. Kakashi felt bad so he tried to take it from her, but she snatched it from him before he could grab it. 

He waved at her shyly. He felt like a complete idiot after doing it, but he couldn’t let his precious student catch him being uncool. He just moved past it as if he hadn’t done it. Sakura tilted her head in confusion. She furrowed her eyebrows and looked just like the genin he remembered. 

“Hello, Hatake-san.” 

The words sounded foreign coming out of her mouth. They were cold and unfamiliar. A tone he was used to from Sasuke or even Sai. Sakura, much like Naruto, was always a ray of sunshine. He recoiled from the iciness in her tone. 

“How may I help you?” she asked robotically. 

There was definitely something wrong. Before, he could read her like an open book. Now, she was cold and uninviting with guarded walls all around her. 

“It’s nice to see you again, too Sakura,” he quipped sarcastically. 

If she could be dry, then so could he. She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. She was probably in the middle of a busy shift today. Tsunade and Shizune always were a little pricklier when work piled up in the hospital. 

“I’m very busy right now Hatake-san. Can we speak later?” she retorted with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. 

She reminded Kakashi of Sai when she did that. It was bizarre to see her so unfeeling. 

“There’s no need to be so formal, Sakura. Just because you’ve been gone for a few years doesn’t mean I’m not your same old sensei,” Kakashi said with a smile behind his mask.  
Sakura could see his eyes squint in correlation to the hidden part of his face and knew he was trying to joke around in his own way. But she had no time for him and work was quickly piling up. 

“I only have one sensei,” the young girl replied curtly. 

Kakashi’s eyes widened in shock. The implications of such a sentence were not lost on him. He watched his former student’s face form into one of indifference. He didn’t know what could’ve caused this change, but he definitely wanted to get to the bottom of it. As soon as he started to talk, Sakura bowed shallowly. 

“If you’ll excuse me,” she said before turning away and walking off without so much as another glance towards him. 

Kakashi stood in the corridor shell shocked. Hospital workers of varying positions walked past the gray haired man with looks of confusion. He usually avoided the hospital at all costs, so to see him here willingly just standing around was an odd thing to witness. When he finally got over his initial shock, he recomposed himself and fled through one of the windows of the hospital.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Sakura sat in her apartment listening to the ticking clock. Time was going painfully slow. Nothing much ever happened if you weren’t allowed on missions. 

Being in the hospital all the time was starting to drive her nuts. Not that she didn’t love her job, but she was used to being in a more active role in the hospital, not a glorified intern with nothing but her mentor’s work to complete. 

Sakura sighed to herself. She knew that she was being selfish. Tsunade was overworked as is with hospital staff being so low. There were hardly any people available to work there and much less ninjas being trained in the art of medicine. 

Most people didn’t even think about the much needed and underfunded medical side of being a ninja because being in the action is all that’s really talked about. No one in their right mind with dreams of being a ninja would think to study in something as “boring” as being a medic. You weren’t even allowed to fight just so the team could preserve your chakra for emergency healing. 

Sakura smiled secretly to herself. That was why she liked Kumo so much. They realized how crucial the medical system was to their shinobi and began implementing it in their classrooms. In fact, Kumo, as a result of the international program, had extended the academy stay for after becoming a genin to include practical skills like emergency medical help. 

This implementation had resulted in a drastic decrease in severe injuries sustained from missions. Just knowing how to extract poison from your body reduced your chance of death when coming back from a mission. 

Kumo’s extended academy stay program had also helped the genin in the program foster better relationships. They were kept in dorms together where they shared living spaces. Getting to know your teammates well allowed all parties to work better on attacks, missions, and responses to injury. While it could be suffocating or overwhelming at first, the forced proximity had given way to better relationships among teams. 

Sakura twirled her chopsticks around on her plate. She wasn’t interested in her meal at all, so she’d been pushing back and forth the rice, fish, and vegetables on her plate for the past fifteen minutes. She placed the chopsticks on her plate and laid her head on the glass table. 

She really missed her team. Even though they all had their own beds and rooms, they usually all slept together on the same bed. They were probably such an odd bunch to all those around them, but they were all comforted by the fact that they could lay in each other’s arms at night feeling safe. 

Sakura hugged her body closer to herself. I hope Karui’s okay. If she was under investigation because of me, she’s probably having those nightmares again. 

The original reason that Team Bee had started sleeping together was because of Karui’s vivid nightmares. Sometimes she’d cry out, but most times she’d just grunt and whimper in her sleep until she woke up in a cold sweat. 

It was always a scary sight to see. Her pupils would dilate. She’d breathe really hard and rapidly. Sometimes, her body would even shake in fear. She had told them about the dreams one drunken night after a mission, but Sakura and Jinora had sworn to never talk about it unless Karui brought it up again while sober. 

Sakura hoisted herself from her seat. She searched around the drawers of her kitchen for a spare piece of paper and a pen. When she retrieved the objects, she hurried back and started writing furiously. 

My dearest Karui,

I send all my love at this time. If you’ve been taken under investigation as a result of my screw up, I’m truly sorry. I really had no idea that it would work and I hate to think that you’re somewhere suffering alone in a room because of me. If you’re out, please also carry my condolences over to Jinora, I’m sure you’ll tell her before I can even find the time to write her because that’s just how you are. 

I’ve been too shy to say it in person, but I’ve really missed you, my love. The bed feels colder without you there beside me. I hope that you’re not finding it hard to sleep without me, too. If you’re having those nightmares again, please don’t hesitate to go the therapist, that’s her job. Don’t feel guilty about unloading yourself onto a licensed professional. You’re no one’s burden and I’ll tell you that every day until you believe it.

As you’ve probably already gathered, I’ve been under heavy lock and key. I’m not even sure if this letter will reach you. I’m currently being monitored by ANBU guards on a 24/7 basis. I can’t even breathe without one of them being down my throat about something. It’s really bothersome and I just want to be with you, Jinora, and Bee-sensei again like old times. I write this as if it hasn’t only been a few weeks, but it honestly feels like years apart whenever I’m without you.

I won’t bore you with news of my trials and tribulations for too long, but just know that I am forever sending my love and encouragement. I pray that the day we meet again will be soon and without stipulations. I hope that you think of me daily as I think of you.

With love,

Sakura

Sakura placed the pen down next to the letter. She picked up the sheet of paper and looked over it with scrutinizing eyes. A few more seconds passed before she slammed the paper down and blushed furiously. 

She couldn’t believe she’d wrote something so…mushy. She guessed that this forced isolation and testing was really getting to her. She really couldn’t go anywhere without prying eyes and it really dampened the mood whenever she thought about it. Not to mention her complex with food also ruined her experiences. 

I wish I was normal. 

Sakura picked the paper up and stared at it for a few more seconds. With a light blush, she summoned a messenger bird and attached the letter onto a small hook on the bird’s claw. She did away with the bird with a small poof and hoped for the best that the avian creature made its way back to Karui. 

She was sure that the girl would understand her feelings and let her know if she was coming on too strong later. That was how her team worked. Honesty was what they were committed to having with each other. A passionate, quickly thrown together love letter/update wouldn’t throw them off.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Two Root shinobi hopped down from pedestals and landed in a bow in front of Danzo. It was another mission well done as the bandaged man expected. The other elders would disagree, but having shinobi from a young age with no known family members to raise them be trained as emotionless ninjas was a good idea. 

Sure much of what Root conducted could be seen as morally wrong, but in an advanced society, there was always someone to clean up the trash. Whether it be recycling or someone actively trying to overthrow a hard earned, efficient government, it didn’t matter. 

Shinobi, as hard edged as they made themselves out to be, were still affected by petty emotions. They spoke at length about things they would and wouldn’t do if they ever got certain missions. Danzo rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of it all. They were all glorified murderers. What difference was there between sending a preteen off on a dangerous mission or formulating an assassination on a government official? They all ended with the same result. 

Danzo had always thought the ninja world was too fickle. Going on about things that bothered or threatened peace with no action seemed fruitless to him. Why complain about a situation that you’re not actively trying to fix? It was why he had no problem taking the rep of the bad guy. While everybody else was all talk, he was about action. 

While many may complain about a tyrannical leader who they’d prefer to see overthrown, most wouldn’t go as far as killing. Most also would turn the other cheek if there was wind of a possible assassination attempt. It was all about optics. No one ever wanted to be the one to carry the burden of killing. It’s why Danzo took the role upon himself. 

He loved his village with every fiber of his being. He would protect it even if it meant that the villagers would never see him as trustworthy. He knew himself more than anyone else and that’s all that mattered. 

Danzo made a hand gesture that signaled the two crouching ninjas to stand up. When he was able to see both faces, he found himself eye to eye with the wood user Yamato. 

“I thought I had you on surveillance duty for Tsunade’s apprentice,” Danzo spat. 

He couldn’t bring himself to say that girl’s name. He’d tested on himself and many others for years just to be able to do the technique. It pissed him off beyond belief that some random girl with no previous ninja history was able to mess around and reproduce the technique flawlessly. 

Yamato didn’t flinch at his master’s tone. Danzo regarded him with his signature scowl. He was one of the many experiments for the reproduction of the wood user technique. Being one of the few survivors meant that Danzo kept him on a special leash. Certain things were always expected of him and Yamato had yet to falter. 

“I am, sir. I just switched shifts with Kin,” Yamato responded in an even tone. 

The whole ordeal was rather pointless to him. They were making a mountain out of a mole hill of this obviously inexperienced girl who just got lucky fooling around with jutsu hand signs. It was very obvious that the girl wasn’t a threat. She looked like she almost shit her pants when he had walked in on one of her investigations. She also had been following lockdown protocols for the past few weeks without complaint. 

Yamato figured that Danzo - he could’t account for the rest of the council – was only mad about the girl’s abilities because he couldn’t control her. For some reason, none of the elders really favored Tsunade – not that they really liked anyone, but there was a specially reserved dislike for the Senju descendant that he just couldn’t decipher. 

Sakura being Tsunade’s pupil meant that she’d probably side with her under any circumstance and be unwilling to see any other way out of a situation then what her mentor explained to her. 

The possibility of a new wood user was always beneficial to Konoha, but one that contrasted the elders’ devious interests posed a serious problem. Yamato just hoped they’d get over themselves soon so he wasn’t stuck on babysitting duty anymore. 

“I have an assignment for you,” Danzo drawled. Annoyance flickered across his face. Yamato could tell that he was holding back an eye roll. “Starting tomorrow, you’ll train that girl in everything you know. That knucklehead Minato may not want to release his son or wife’s status, but she’s dealt with two Jinchuurikis at this point and it’s best that she makes use of her new abilities. Do you understand?” 

Yamato nodded tersely. He just leveled up from babysitting to teaching. He dreaded what was bound to come next.


	10. What Used To Be

Sakura was hunched over panting in the middle of a destroyed training ground. Yamato, with his empty eyes, was standing over her with his arms folded across his chest.  
She couldn’t read him at all. The familiar feelings of inadequacy crept up again. 

I feel like a genin again. I’m still just as useless as before. 

She was shaken out of her sleep this morning at around 8 AM. It was one of her off days from the hospital and she’d decided to sleep in. She was barely able to yawn before Yamato recited a list of exercises they’d be going over today for her first training course in mokuton style. 

All she’d been tasked with to do so far was create a few trees. She’d been able to do them, but not without heavy strain. Her chakra control was perfect, but this was an entirely new ballgame for her. 

Harnessing what was once believed to be a secret clan technique was harder than it looked. 

Maybe this is how Sasuke feels. 

Sakura caught her breath and rose up to full height. She looked over at the surrounding area of what she’d accomplished this morning. A mini forest of oddly shaped trees spanned the area. She was disappointed in herself. She didn’t expect to have such a problem with learning this technique because she’d been able to create an entire bridge on a whim. 

Yamato had explained that he’d teach her how to use the technique in a way that would allow her chakra to be used in moderation. She was a medical ninja after all and conserving her chakra was essential to her team’s survival. Not to mention the first time she’d successfully used the technique she had to be wheeled off to the hospital as a result of chakra exhaustion. 

They’d been going at this “simple” exercise for some hours and Yamato had offered no words of encouragement so far. She didn’t know if she was doing anything wrong or right and his vacant stare wasn’t helping to ease her anxiety. 

Isn’t there anyone else available that can help me? 

Sakura clasped her hands back together and formed the appropriate seals for the jutsu. When she finally finished the sequence of hand signs, she created her first decent looking tree of the day. She squealed girlishly. It felt so good to conquer challenges. Learning new things made her feel as if she could do anything. 

When she was done with her mini celebration, she looked over in Yamato’s direction for approval. She didn’t find much. His face remained unmoved. He nodded at her curtly and walked over to place a hand on her shoulder. 

“I think that’s enough drills for today. We’ll meet another day and see how well you can consistently make realistic looking trees. Then we’ll move on to flowers and whatnot.” 

They both nodded at each other. He bowed stiffly before vanishing with a transportation jutsu. 

Sakura sighed. She was bone tired and the sun was blazing. She grabbed a small pocket watch from her pants pocket. It was 12 PM now. She just wanted to head into town, get in her apartment, and soak in a bath. As she made her way back into the town, she was greeted with an overly energetic Ino. 

“Forehead! Over here!” Ino exclaimed as she waved at Sakura frantically. 

Sakura rolled her eyes with a small laugh. Ino was as loud as ever. 

Some things never change. 

When Sakura finally made it over to Ino, the blonde girl held her out at arm’s length and looked her over with scrutinizing eyes. Sakura became visibly uncomfortable. 

“What’re you wearing?” Ino asked with disgust lacing her tone. 

Sakura pulled at her clothes. She was wearing a red track suit essentially. The long sleeve sweater had the white Haruno symbol on the back. Her pants pockets and were lined with white and she wore black sandals. It was comfortable and Sakura liked it because she didn’t have to worry about people looking too closely at her body. The clothes were loose so her body remained a mystery as she liked it. 

“It’s my uniform,” Sakura deadpanned. 

Ino looked her over again with a raised brow. “You’ve got no sex appeal, Forehead. None at all.” 

Sakura shielded her body with her arms. This was making for such an uncomfortable situation. Ino tucked her arm into Sakura’s and started walking. 

“C’mon. You can hold one of my dresses for your welcome home party.”  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Much to Sakura’s discomfort, she was wearing one of Ino’s dresses. She had to fight the strong-willed girl tooth and nail just to wear it, but she’d made sure to find the loosest fitting one. 

After a quick bath at her own apartment and a check in with her ANBU guard, she was allowed clearance to go to Ino’s house. It was bizarre to be inside it again after not having spoken to each other for so along. All that drama for a boy at that. 

Ino hadn’t mentioned him once and Sakura was honestly surprised. Instead, she blabbed nonstop about the new boy on team 7 called Sai. He was the pale boy she’d caught a glimpse of in Tsunade’s office after being released from the investigation unit. She gushed about him like he was the next best thing since sliced bread. 

Sakura indulged her anyway and made comments at appropriate times to show that she was listening. Keeping Ino in a good mood relied heavily on pretending that she was the center of the universe. Sakura had gotten used to it a long time ago. 

By the time they arrived to the barbecue place, they were “fashionably” late as Ino called it. It was hard for Ino to let Sakura wear the “shapeless” black dress that made her resemble “an infant schoolgirl” more than a teen girl growing into her body. There was also a lot of fussing with Sakura’s hair that resulted in an intricately rolled topknot bun. By the time Ino offered to do Sakura’s makeup, Sakura was past reasoning and pulled Ino out of her own house forcibly. 

Hinata and TenTen were already seated with meat roasting on the grill placed on their table. They both greeted Sakura with a small wave. Sakura returned their greeting with a shy head nod and sat down. 

“It’s nice to see you again, Sakura,” Hinata said a decibel above a whisper. 

Sakura smiled in response. Hinata had always been such a sweet girl. It only made Naruto’s obliviousness to her obvious affections for the boy that much more enraging. The guy couldn’t get a clue if it slapped him in the face. 

“Hey, Sakura! Long time no see,” TenTen greeted from the other side of the large table. 

Sakura smiled in her direction too. TenTen was the glue that held Team Gai together. Had it not been for her levelheadedness, that team would’ve been reduced to ashes from both her teammates competitiveness ages ago. The girl had to have the patience of a saint for dealing with Neji’s annoying self-righteousness, Rock Lee’s tenacity, and Gai’s never ending monologues about the power of youth. Sakura would get dizzy just from hearing about it. 

Ino slid into the seat next to TenTen. The bunned girl slid over to make room. A silence fell over the group until Ino spoke. 

“Sooo…everyone’s been wondering why you left town without a word,” Ino stated with an air of laughter. “I mean; one moment we were in the village bickering about your closeness to Sasuke. The next, I’m hearing that you’re saddled up with one of the Legendary Sannin and joining some international ninja program.” 

Suddenly, a herd of what sounded like an elephant stampede busted through the doors of the restaurant. When the girls looked up, they saw the rest of the Rookie Nine boys competing to get through the doors. 

Naruto and Kiba were in the lead pushing each other’s faces as they ran to the occupied booth. Sasuke and Neji walked in cooly and seated themselves. Sai wasn’t too far behind them. 

Sai sat next to Ino, who Sakura was sure caused the blush to rise on her pristine face. When they left this place, Sakura would definitely tease her about it. Sasuke slid in next to Sakura while Neji, with a polite nod, slid next to Sai. 

Chouji walked in snacking on a bag of chips while listening to the hyperactive Lee go on about his trials in youth. Shino walked in not far behind them with his hands in his pockets and a quiet mumble that sounded like he was whispering to his bugs. 

Kiba and Naruto had finally stopped fighting and walked over to the booth. Kiba slid in next to Neji, but Naruto stood next to Sasuke and pouted. Sasuke opened a menu and completely ignored him. 

“Teme! Let me sit next to Sakura-chan,” Naruto whined. 

Sakura smiled. No matter how many years they remained apart, she felt like she and Naruto would always have a soft spot for each other. 

Sasuke didn’t spare his blonde teammate a glance. “I’m not moving over. There’s no space,” he deadpanned. 

Naruto crossed his arms like a petulant child and huffed. When he realized that Sasuke wasn’t going to move, he squeezed his way past Sasuke and sat in Sakura’s lap. A goofy grin spread across his face. Sakura readjusted his body into a more comfortable position. He was a lot heavier than he looked. 

The entire table ordered their food. A jovial atmosphere was kept up through talking about mundane things like the weather and recent missions. After easing into a steady rhythm of eating and talking, Ino found a way to pivot the conversation back to Sakura. 

“I almost forgot, Forehead! How’d you meet the Fifth Hokage?” Ino yelled over the chaos that had become the booth. 

Sakura was picking at a small rice bowl. Naruto, unbeknownst to himself, was her saving grace again. It made it easier for her to eat with him obscuring her body. She was midbite when she realized Ino was talking to her. The entire table refocused their attention to her. 

She maneuvered around Naruto’s body and placed her bowl of rice on the table. Naruto wiggled around in her lap to allow Sakura to see the rest of her friends better. 

“I…just happened to come by the Hokage’s office and met Tsunade. She offered to teach me and like two days later I was out of the village,” Sakura admitted shyly. 

They didn’t need to know the entire context of the situation because it really wasn’t anyone’s business. Plus, she was still embarrassed about it. 

TenTen lifted her elbows onto the table and propped her chin up on her palms. She stared at Sakura in abject wonder. Sakura blushed. 

“Wow! It was kind of like fate,” TenTen humored. 

Sakura brushed off the girl’s astonishment with a laugh. “Yeah, I guess. Tsunade-sama was kind of my guardian angel.” 

“But you’re back kind of early aren’t you?” Ino questioned with heightened interest. 

The girl was always in tune with gossip, so Sakura was shocked that she hadn’t heard the news. The council has really quieted the rumors down. “Yeah…I am,” Sakura started. 

The whole table looked at her inquisitively from behind Naruto’s back. She felt like she was under a microscope. 

“Why’s that?” Hinata asked in a completely innocent tone. 

“Because…I kind of am a wood user now and when the council got wind of it, I was rushed back to Konoha,” Sakura explained in one breath. “The program I was under in Kumo also came to an early end as a result, so, it’s a pretty big deal.” 

Eyes around the table went wide. Naruto twisted himself around in Sakura’s lap and looked at her in awe. 

“Woah…Sakura-chan, you’re so cool!” he exclaimed with food still in his mouth. 

Lee looked over at her with stars in his eyes. He looked like he was about to say something embarrassing until TenTen fixed him with a look. 

“So how long have you been back?” Neji inquired in an even tone. 

Sakura relaxed into her seat again. She was starting to feel more comfortable with these questions. “About a month, give or take a few weeks.” 

“Then why haven’t we seen you around before now?” Ino questioned. 

Sakura sighed. She hated remembering this part of her journey back. “I was under intense investigation for the first two weeks I came back. Then, when I was finally released, they put a 24/7 ANBU unit around me in a special apartment the council selected for me.” 

“That makes sense,” Neji considered with a hand under his chin. “I thought the wood user style was a clan technique from the First Hokage’s clan.” 

Sakura shrugged half-heartedly. “I thought so too. Tsunade let me hold one of her clan scrolls and told me to try it out. It didn’t work for a year until I was messing around on my last mission.” 

Shikamaru leaned onto the table in deep thought. He let out sounds of careful consideration. “So what’s the angle with keeping you under lock and key? Do they think you’re a security threat?” the genius asked thoughtfully. 

Sakura shrugged again. She just wanted her investigation to be over. “I have no idea at this point. The council’s not speaking directly to me. But I am being trained now.” 

The oddly pale boy opened his mouth to speak, but Ino eyed him. Sakura thought they were a weird pair, but they somehow fit. 

Ino was kind of overbearing, so a relationship could only exist with her if she was the more dominate one in the relationship. 

The waiter came over with a dozen plates of dessert and the conversation shifted into something more amicable.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Everyone was standing outside of the barbecue place waving each other goodbye. 

Team Gai was the first to go. Lee grabbed Sakura’s hand, kissed it multiple times, and wished her good luck on all her future endeavors. When he started monologuing about youth and an oath to protecting her, TenTen got involved and dragged him and Neji away. 

Team 8, after another short spat between Kiba and Naruto hauled off to a nearby training ground. 

Shikamaru and Chouji gave an excuse about having to go home immediately. All those left standing outside were Sasuke, Sai, Naruto, Ino, and Sakura. 

Sakura was surprised to see Sasuke still willingly standing outside with them. She chalked it up to Naruto being there. 

He probably wants to spar with him after this. 

Ino pulled on Sakura’s arm and the she was suddenly face to face with the mysterious pale boy from earlier. He, much like Yamato, freaked her out. He had blank eyes. The smile etched on his face didn’t suit him at all. He seemed so robotic and stiff. 

“I don’t think you two have properly met,” Ino said while tugging on Sakura’s arm again. “Sai meet Sakura. Sakura meet Sai.” 

They both waved at each other respectfully. Sakura had no real feelings towards him. He was her replacement and she had a new team. There wasn’t much to be discussed. At least, not until he opened his mouth. 

He gave her a once over with a scrutinizing eye. If she wasn’t uncomfortable before, she definitely was now. She tried to escape Ino’s iron grip, but she was really holding on. Sai stopped scanning her like an item at a grocery store and stood at full height. 

“The nickname Forehead really does suit you,” he observed casually. 

Sakura’s mouth dropped open in shock. This bastard was bold. She took a half step back. 

“Excuse me?” she asked in disbelief. 

Ino looked absolutely mortified. She tried to cover his mouth, but they got into a small tussle and Ino was losing. 

“You’re such a jackass, Sai!” Naruto yelled from behind Sakura. 

Sasuke’s face blanched for a moment before returning to one of impassivity. 

“What? Ino calling her Forehead is the same as me calling you Dickless. It’s a friendly nickname,” Sai commented nonchalantly. 

Ino was still having a hard time covering Sai’s mouth, so she released Sakura’s hand. “This is one of the times where I need you to stop talking, Sai!” Ino shouted. 

They were all causing a commotion now. 

Sakura looked around nervously. I have got to get out of here. 

Sakura looked to see that Sai had escaped from Ino’s hold again. Ino was now trying to hold an irate Naruto and confused Sai apart. Sasuke snuck off when he saw the situation escalate beyond saving. 

“I don’t understand why either of you are upset,” Sai said in an even tone. “You both said that friends have nicknames for each other. Wouldn’t having one for her make our transition into friendship faster?” 

“Sai! Don’t say anything else!” 

Sai looked over in Sakura’s direction in deep thought. She could feel her skin crawl under his empty gaze. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to the boy’s blank stare. 

“I think Ugly would be a fitting nickname for you,” Sai said with no malice in his tone. 

Ino looked absolutely mortified. Naruto was rowdy again and winding up his fist to aim at Sai’s face. Sakura, in all the confusion, scampered off. That was one hell of a first introduction. There was no way that the two of them would ever become friends.


	11. Hope

It was nearly midnight when Sasuke found himself scurrying to find his clothes scattered on the floor. He was never one to talk much about his life with his family, much less his late night escapades. 

Karin was laying on her bed, stark naked under her comforter, watching the stoic boy get dressed. They’d agreed to this…arrangement about a year ago after a mission he took with the self-proclaimed Team Hebi. He’d seen her around before, even went on a couple missions with her team, but he hadn’t paid her any mind. She was annoying like Sakura and could be really clingy at the most inappropriate times. 

She was also really combative with her teammate Suigetsu who, much like Naruto and Sai, knew how to press your buttons to get you out of character. It was like the guy purposely goaded her for a reaction. Seeing the bespectacled girl upset was his favorite pastime. 

Sasuke pulled his head through his shirt and opened the bedroom door. He needed to leave now or he’d never hear the end of it from his parents. Sasuke and his father still weren’t seeing eye to eye after the most recent conversation and Itachi had just gotten home from his most recent mission. 

While his older brother could take the heat off of him because he was their father’s golden boy, he could also bring more negative attention to him. His father never missed out on a chance to compare the two. Slighting Sasuke at every opportunity was Fugaku’s favorite hobby. Slights about his ninja capabilities and prowess were common. He was the black sheep of his family. He just hoped that his parents were in bed by the time he snuck through his window. 

Sasuke made his way to the front door with Karin, wrapped up in her blanket like a caterpillar in a cocoon, not far behind. She watched him bend down to put on his shoes. 

“I heard your teammate is back in town,” the redhead said more to herself than the dark-haired boy crouched below her. She rarely ever got responses from him. It made her sad sometimes, but she honestly couldn’t ever expect more than what he ever gave to her. 

“I overheard Orochimaru talking to Kabuto about there being an upcoming Kage summit so she can return to Kumo.” 

Sasuke stiffened for a moment. This was news to him. He didn’t think much of what Sakura did, but he definitely thought that what she revealed to him and the other rookies meant that she would be rooted in Konoha for an indefinite amount of time. It also didn’t hurt that he hoped she would rejoin Team 7 and get rid of that prick Sai. 

Sasuke rose to his full height and slid into his shoes. He turned to look at Karin expectantly waiting for answers. She held her hands in mock surrender knowing that he was asking for more information. 

“I don’t know all of the details. A Kage summit is happening for sure though. Who knows?” Karin paused dramatically. She ran her perfectly manicured fingers along his biceps. 

“Maybe we’ll be on guard duty together.” 

Karin’s eyebrows wiggled suggestively. Sasuke, without a hint of emotion, excused himself from her apartment. Karin watched him go sullenly and locked the door behind him.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Sasuke was roof hopping back to his home when he saw that the lights in his room were on. He came to a full stop on one of the roofs of a house about a block away. He’d have to be very careful coming in. 

Sasuke jumped from rooftop to rooftop until he stood in the garden near his bedroom. From the shadow reflected on the screen door, he could tell that it was his mother snooping through his room again under the guise of “cleaning”. Why she had the urge to clean his room at midnight, he’d never ask. 

Sasuke walked up to the door without muting his footsteps and pulled back the door. His mother looked absolutely frazzled by his sudden appearance. He watched her with a raised eyebrow. She collected herself and rose from her crouched position with a blush. 

“Where have you been? Do you know what time it is?” Mikoto asked indignantly. 

Sasuke walked past her to his drawer to fish out some clothes for a shower. Mikoto huffed in annoyance. How did she raise such a difficult child? She stopped to sniff the scent in the air as he walked by. 

“You smell like perfume,” his mother stated. 

Sasuke glanced up at her with a bored expression. There was nothing he felt he needed to explain to his mother. Especially since she was obviously snooping around in his room trying to find out something incriminating about him. He turned back to his drawer to look for clothes. 

Mikoto was pissed now. She stomped over to Sasuke and grabbed him by the ear. Silently, he winced in pain. She smiled. She was glad that she could elicit a response from her ever so stoic son, even if it was as a result of pain. 

“Don’t be a brat, Sasuke,” Mikoto spat through clenched teeth. She pulled his ear around a bit more for good measure. “I asked you a question so I expect an answer.” 

She let go of his ear and glanced down at him with a frown. Sasuke rubbed at his ear in anger. He caught his mother’s eye and scowled up at her. She rolled her eyes and crouched down next to him reorganizing the clothes that he’d just messed up. 

Sasuke sat on the back of his heels and watched his mother work. He saw the way her delicate hands moved slowly, but with care. Now that he was closer, he could see the way exhaustion nestled into every bone in her body. Who knows how long she’d been up probably waiting for him? 

Sasuke cleared his throat. “Is tou-san home?” 

Mikoto harrumphed in annoyance. She turned her face away from his view and continued folding clothes. “Answer my question and I’ll answer yours,” Mikoto seethed. 

Sasuke sighed. His mother always had to make things so difficult. “I was at one of my colleague’s place,” he answered smoothly. 

His smother scoffed at him. “Do you feel the need to come from all of your ‘colleagues’ places smelling like their perfume?” Mikoto spouted in that playful mocking tone Sasuke had come to associate her with. 

He rolled his eyes and smirked. She asked him a simple question and he answered. What did she need to know the specifics for? 

“Is tou-san home?” he repeated. 

He grabbed his clothes from his mother and started folding them himself. His mother placed her hands in her lap and watched him with a careful eye. Her son could be truly thoughtful when he wanted to be. 

“No,” Mikoto sighed. “He got a late night call for something with the police force. He probably won’t be back until late tomorrow.” 

Sasuke peered over at his mother. Her shoulders were slumped sullenly. She took long, deep breaths. Weariness overtook her entire body. He could see a glint of years’ worth of fatigue in her eyes. Being an Uchiha wife was weighing her down. Sasuke couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his father show his mother affection. 

In fact, he couldn’t remember any moments at all. His father – much like himself – wasn’t a man of many emotions. Outside of yelling at his youngest son and getting his eldest to do his bidding on his behalf, Sasuke had never known the man to be anything but a stickler for rules and a complete pain in his ass. 

As Sasuke refolded his last article of clothing, he held his hand out for his mother and they both stood up. His mother brushed off the back of her dress. Sasuke gathered all his clothes in preparation for his shower in one hand. 

Mikoto glanced up at him and smiled. Just when it looked like she was about to leave, she made an abrupt turn back to Sasuke. She crossed her arms and tilted her head in curiousity. 

“I almost forgot. I came in here because your picture is missing from the family altar. Where is it?” 

Sasuke made no move to recover the picture. He’d moved it in a fit of anger after another argument with his father. He didn’t feel like being a part of the family anymore, so, he removed his photo. What did they need it for when they had everything they could ever ask for in a son in Itachi? 

Mikoto gave Sasuke a onceover with a look of exasperation. Sasuke – although he would never admit it – had always had a soft spot for his mother. No matter how tumultuous he and his father’s relationship was, when his mother got involved, he dropped the subject. 

Under her maternal gaze, he faltered and walked over to his bed. He crouched and let his arm wander under the bed to find a steel box. He opened it for a brief moment and pulled out the desired picture. He held it out to her without looking in her direction. He wanted to avoid any questions about what could’ve caused him to hide his photo this time. 

Thankfully, Mikoto took it wordlessly. She ruffled his hair and kissed the top of his head before leaving the room with a whispered ‘good night’. Sasuke lifted himself from the floor and gathered his things for the shower. He hated having the scent of other people on him for too long.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Sakura slipped out of her white tennis shoes. Another long day of nothing but mundane tasks. 

It had been so long since she’d done clerical tasks in an office that she’d forgotten how mind-numbingly simple it all was. She prayed for the sanity of any incoming medic. This was not an easy job. 

Sakura unloaded her bag, flung off her jacket, and jumped out of her pants. The feeling of cold air hitting her damp legs was refreshing. She hadn’t remembered Konoha being so hot. The weather must have been an exception today because it was sweltering. 

Just as she plopped down onto her couch, weariness saturating her bones, her phone started ringing off the hook. She sighed heavily. She couldn’t find a moment of peace, not even in her own little abode. She slid off the couch and ambled over to her phone’s receiver. 

“Hello?” she said into the phone, her voice a mashup between weary and confused. Who the hell would be calling her this late at night? 

“Sakura? How many times do I have to call you before you answer?!” her mother admonished. 

Sakura rolled her eyes. This definitely wasn’t what she imagined of when winding down from a hard shift. She took a few deep breaths to prepare for what she would knew would be a hard conversation. 

“I work at the hospital mom. My shifts are pretty late most nights.” 

“You’re not doing anything other than filing papers. What about that screams ‘late nights’?” 

Sakura did everything in her power to avoid from blowing up at her mother. She could always count on that woman to make mountains out of mole hills. If she just accepted her career path maybe then she wouldn’t have to ask these stupid questions all the time. 

“You’d be surprised. Konoha has the most efficient medical system in the ninja world. We’re always backed up with paperwork.”

“I still think you could make time to come see us once in a while. I think the council would at least allow you to see your parents.”

“Yeah, I’ll try.”

“You have a tone. I guess I’ll leave you to whatever you’re doing tonight. Your poor, worried mother is too much of a hassle to call.”

“But mom, I-“

Sakura held the phone away from her ear as the dial tone rang. Her mother’s short temper was the same as always. They still hadn’t properly reconciled for what happened before Sakura left and they still were dodgy about any conversations surrounding her career. She placed the phone back on its stand and walked away. Anything involving her parents was exhausting.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Sakura was sitting at her dining table debating silently whether or not to purge. She had been completely fine - well – mostly fine being by herself for the past month or so until just now. 

It was such a random thought. One minute she was chewing away at what she thought was a harmless meal choice until a sinking feeling sat in the pit of her stomach. She was on the last bite of her food when the random thought had come to mind. 

She could feel the food just sitting there in her stomach unmoving. Suddenly, her body felt so heavy and squishy. She could feel the layers of flab forming on her skin and the skin around her neck thickening. It told her to get rid of her food in any way she could. 

She had never been much of a fan of throwing up. She hated the way her throat and nostrils burned afterwards. Her stomach would feel like it was turned completely upside down. Not to mention that her hands became so mangled after a few tries and her ankles would swell. It was a horrid thing to do, so that was one method she had quit a long time ago. 

However, there were other much more preferred methods that she attempted more frequently. Weight loss pills and solutions were always nice. Once she learned how to choke pills down, there was no stopping her. The solutions were also easier to use, but they were usually really disgusting no matter what drink you mixed them with. 

Appetite suppressants were fairly easy to get your hands on. When Sakura was still a genin and low on money, she’d resorted to stealing them many times from grocery stores all over the village. She was surprised she’d never been caught. 

Laxatives, whether chewable or tablet form, were one of her last choices. She hated the unpredictability of them. Not eating for long periods of time and then trying to make yourself poop took a toll on her body. The multiple trips it took just for the laxative to fully work its magic was not convenient. She hated every second of straining and sweating she put in every time she took them. 

Sakura could also exercise. When she was heavier into her depression she would exercise for hours on end. At first, under the guise of training harder, she would spend extensive time doing warmup exercises. 

She would always come home exhausted from training herself. It didn’t make it any better that even though she would do all this training on her own time and then not be able to even spar with her teammates in group trainings. It was a gateway to her exercising obsession. 

Sakura sighed. She’d have to learn to be okay with her body. Her therapist said that she’d have to reach into herself and find out what she was substituting her obsession with food, toxic fixation on her body, and harmful coping methods with. 

She took slow, deep breaths. She counted down from 10 and back again. When she finally felt steady enough, she got up and searched around the kitchen for a piece of paper and pencil. She sat back down at the table when she got them and started scribbling away.

How I’m feeling – sad

What’s the cause? – I miss my teammates. I don’t have my meds and the transition to my old home has been overwhelming. I don’t know how to talk to my old friends because I haven’t talked to them in years and it feels like we’ve moved on from each other.

What can help me? – Talking to someone close to me. Maybe reading a book or two.

Sakura released the breath she’d been holding in. Just writing down her feelings helped ease the load she was carrying. The only thing that had been taking her mind off of her situation lately was training with Yamato. It was a nice release and she worked in a familiar territory. It was all focused on her precise chakra control that allowed her to use the jutsu to create whatever she wanted freely. 

But, it still wasn’t enough. She hadn’t been working on her taijutsu nor genjutsu skills that she worked so hard to get. She knew she wasn’t allowed much freedom, but she was going stir crazy from being kept inside all day. 

Sakura placed her head down on the table. She needed a miracle. ASAP. 

Suddenly, a burst of chakra appeared in her room. She turned to see the familiar messenger hawk with another letter hanging on its leg and a small backpack attached to its back. Sakura jumped out of her seat to greet the bird. It nodded in acknowledgement and allowed her to take it in her hands. 

She unbound the letter from its leg and detached the backpack from its back. With the bird in tow, she walked over to the kitchen for a small snack for it. A few berries and a content hawk later, Sakura opened the letter on one of her kitchen counters. She could only hope that Karui wasn’t too overwhelmed by her heartfelt letter. 

Dear Sakura,

I’ve missed you too. I knew that I’d be under investigation the moment they swept you out of the village. Jinora tells me that she was grilled pretty hard too, but it’s nothing to worry about too much. Konoha’s probably the only village with such a harsh reaction to the situation because it’s their village’s technique. 

It’s been pretty boring here without you. I’ve had to return temporarily to my former team, but I haven’t been able to take missions. It’s just a precautionary measure that’s happening as a result of your situation. They’re restricting all of our movement, even Killer Bee-sensei. 

Don’t worry, I’ve been to the therapist too. This whole situation has been blown out of control and I’ve been stressed. How could they think any of us are criminals? 

In other news, things are looking up for us! I heard Konoha’s trying to have a Kage summit with all the ninja villages. The raikage has no problem with it, but we’ll definitely have some convincing to do with the other villages. Jinora’s been telling me since she went home that all the higher ups in Iwagakure are pissed with the success of the program and even more with all the applicants rushing to go back. I think the push to go back has been so strong that they’re allowing us to go back under heavy surveillance because they want to see what’s driving us all back. That means we’ll see each other soon!

Lady Rin has also been requesting us for weeks about a mission that she says only Team Bee can do. It’s been pissing off all the higher-ups because they think this international program could hurt mission distribution in the future, but she doesn’t care. She’s already picked me and Jinora up and we’re coming to get you in a few days! The woman’s so convincing.

P.S. You were taken back in such a rush that I noticed you left your pills behind. I put them in the cute little bag on the messenger hawk’s back. I put the old bottle and your  
newest prescription in there. Stay safe!

With love,

Karui

Sakura beamed down at the letter with all the love she could muster. She held it close to her heart and squealed. Things were finally looking up. It looked like she wouldn’t have to stay in this drab village for much longer. 

She stroked the messenger hawk softly until she heard it coo in happiness. Sakura pulled out a bottle of pills from the small backpack and downed her daily dose with no water. 

Finally, some serotonin. 

She thanked kami for Karui’s thoughtfulness. She’d been too scared to go to a new therapist and she was sure that if she stayed here any longer, she’d have another episode like years before. Sakura stroked the messenger hawk for a few more minutes before sending it off in a burst of chakra. Training tomorrow with Yamato wouldn’t be so unbearable after all.


	12. Burn

“You’re progressing nicely,” Yamato encouraged in a flat tone. 

Sakura beamed with pride for what felt like the millionth time that day. She had been able to create an entire mini forest today with just a quarter of her chakra reserves used. There were flowers, bushes, and gorgeous trees surrounding the two. 

Yamato, with his arms crossed, took a look around nodding his head in acknowledgement of her skill. 

Finally! He has other facial expressions besides constipated. 

Being able to coax out a reaction from the stoic man was nice. He usually looked disgruntled and completely befuddled at the idea of having to train her. She hated feeling like a burden to anyone and it reminded her of her Team 7 days of having a teacher that was so obviously uninterested in teaching. 

She felt like she was on a streak of good luck lately. First, the letter and pills from Karui, now Yamato’s approval. She couldn’t wait to see what would come next. 

She got up from her hunched over position and placed her hands on the back of her head to catch her breath. She saw Yamato stiffen and knew that someone had to be approaching. He got really jumpy whenever he detected other people’s chakra signatures. 

They both looked up to see a familiar silver-haired ninja bounding towards them through the treetops. He landed with a soft thwap in front of them. 

“Kakashi-senpai?!” Yamato exclaimed with the most expression Sakura had ever seen on the man’s face. If she’d been in any other situation she would’ve laughed. Yamato bowed at him furiously and Sakura could see her former sensei becoming flustered. 

“C’mon now, there’s no need for all that,” Kakashi said with his hands up. 

Yamato straightened himself up and acted accordingly. Kakashi peered over in Sakura’s direction with an almost sad glint in his eye. Sakura’s face held no expression. 

“Sakura,” Kakashi acknowledged. 

Sakura’s mouth formed into a straight line. “Hatake-san,” she responded. 

He recoiled slightly, but averted his attention back to Yamato. “If you’re done with her training, the Hokage and the rest of the mission distribution board are requesting Sakura’s presence. There’s been quite a commotion this morning,” he explained with constant sneaky glances to his former student. 

Yamato nodded. “We were just wrapping things up. Y’know Kakashi, your student’s a really fast learner. She’s almost perfected the jutsu in a few short training sessions,” Yamato added nonchalantly as if it was just random gossip. 

Kakashi nodded while looking in Sakura’s direction. She was packing up her equipment and slinging her backpack over her shoulder. “I know,” the gray-haired man whispered to himself. 

It wasn’t long before they took off through the trees and made their way into the center of the village. A little bit of roof hopping later and all three stood in front of the Hokage Tower. Yamato politely excused himself mentioning that he had other matters to attend to. He wished Sakura good luck and disappeared in a puff of smoke. 

Kakashi and Sakura stood in front of the tower doors for a moment as the tension between them built. Sakura was the first to break it. She took a deep breath and opened one of the doors. Kakashi tagged along not far behind her. They walked the path to the mission distribution office in complete silence. Only the squeaks of their sandals could be heard through the empty halls. 

They finally made it to the correct office and Sakura slowly opened the doors for the both of them. She was greeted with the familiar face of Karui who immediately ran over to her and jumped to hug her. They both almost fell, but Sakura held them both steady and spun in a happy circle. Squeals emitted from both the teenage girls and they could hear small laughs ring around the room at their display. 

Karui and Sakura let go of each other and just took in the other’s image. Karui was as radiant as ever. Her dark skin was offset by her fiery red, cornrowed hair. Her perfectly slicked hair line added to the overall look. She was wearing her usual uniform, but her familiar headband was missing most likely because of her new hairstyle. 

Their other teammate Jinora walked over and enveloped them both in a bear hug. She was a little above average height with a short brown bob. She, like her other teammates, was waif thin with muscles from their intense training. It shocked Karui and Sakura that Jinora hugged them because she was usually so against any display of affection. The time apart had to have been rough on them all. 

A terse cough brought them all out of their reverie. “I’m sorry to disturb such a heartfelt reunion, but we do need to come to a settlement that will benefit all parties,” Iruka interrupted. 

The three girls straightened and stood next to each other. They wrapped their hands in each other’s feeling the safest they’d felt in weeks. Sakura looked over at the table of exasperated higher ups. The lineup included Tsunade, who looked like she had just sobered up, old man Sarutobi who puffed a cigarette in annoyance, a stressed Iruka, the elders Danzo, Koharu and Homaru, and few jounin who looked as if they were going to rip their own hair out. 

The source of the distress obviously came from Lady Jin, who stood off to the side with a fan obscuring her face. She was always a particularly difficult client to please. It was her way or the highway – no way in between. No one could brush her off either because she was a high paying client. Team B watched as she straightened up with her waving back and forth haughtily. 

“Yes, I agree with the pony-tailed man. I’ve gone through all the trouble of finding you guys in three different nations already. I’d like this problem to be handled as quickly as possible,” Lady Jin huffed. 

The trio sighed. Her snippy behavior had already started. Iruka looked offended for a moment but recomposed himself. The elders on the other hand were on edge. They were seething from whatever had transpired in Sakura’s absence. 

“Lady Jin, we assure you that a team from a single nation can be found to complete your mission,” Homaru replied with repressed anger in his tone. 

Lady Jin rolled her eyes and fanned herself again. “If that’s what I wanted, I would’ve had it done already.” 

Homaru seethed in anger. Danzo surveyed the room. Tension had risen tenfold. Although, he was sure the woman was oblivious to it all. 

“There was no need to overexert yourself and scrap together a team that has already been dissolved. This situation could go much smoother with a team we assign for you,” Danzo added. He was growing awfully tired of trying to appease this irrational woman. 

Lady Jin dismissed him. She saw no sense in dealing with someone who would never see things her way. “I’ve already overexerted myself and their team is not dissolved if I’ve reassembled them. I do not understand you all’s disdain for a program that you signed off for. This is the team that I am used to handling my missions and I will have my way,” the luxurious woman ranted. “That is, unless…you no longer need my husband to be a donor.” 

A silence broke out over the room. Lady Jin hid a smirk behind her fan. Sakura, Karui, and Jinora smiled knowingly. Fighting with Lady Jin was always a losing battle. It wasn’t long before they were approved for their mission and sent off to pack their things.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
“Congratulations.” 

A monotone voice rang through Sasuke’s ears as he accepted his certificate for completing the ANBU exam. Try as he might, he couldn’t stop his stomach flopping about. Excitement burst through every seam of his body. 

He was now one step closer to finally proving himself to be as good as Itachi. Maybe he’d even be able to shut his father up for a change. Well…probably not, but it was worth a try. 

He slipped into his new vest and gave himself a once-over in the locker room mirrors. He could get used to this. He had always dreamed of seeing himself in a high-ranking ninja position. It would give his father more incentive to let him join the police force. The old man had been so hesitant to let him while he seethed over the fact that Itachi had been on the force since he was 15. 

Sasuke closed the door of his locker. No matter what he did, his father nor the rest of his clan would ever see him as anything other than Itachi’s little, less successful brother. As Sasuke gathered the last of his belongings in his backpack, he heard the familiar voices of his brother and cousin, Shishui. He was prepared to walk out without so much as a glance in their direction, but Shishui just had to open his mouth. 

“Sasuke! You passed the test?” his cousin yelled across the room. 

Sasuke stopped in his tracks and sighed. There were whispers amongst the others in the locker room already probably brewing outlandish gossip. He thought back to his mother saying he’s not an island and composed himself. Everything he did was under a microscope by the nosy, discriminatory villagers. He could pretend to be cordial for a moment. 

Sasuke turned to see his cousin running over to him while his brother, perpetually cool and calm, trailed behind him at a moderate pace. Shishui slapped Sasuke on the shoulder while laughing hysterically to himself. Sasuke made the effort not to wince. 

“Good to see you here, little one. It’s always nice to see one of your family members winning,” Shishui commented without a hint of malice. 

Sasuke nodded tersely. He wasn’t one to blush, but he did find the comment quite…encouraging. His cousin laughed at his reaction. He’d always known both brothers as reticent, non-sociable beings. It became easier to cue in on what their reactions meant once you were closer to them. 

Shishui watched Sasuke tilt his head in Itachi’s direction expectantly. He smirked to himself. Under all those layers of careful composure, the young boy still desired his older brother’s approval. 

Itachi tilted his head in his younger brother’s direction with his infamous slowness and careful discernment. In one look, he could read anyone just from the expression on their face. 

“I hope your transition into the ANBU unit goes well,” Itachi said in a quiet, balanced tone. 

It irritated the shit out of Sasuke. No matter what he did, Itachi could always make something he worked hard to do sound so trite and unimportant. He felt like a child under a parent’s scrutinizing gaze. In some ways, Sasuke felt that Itachi was just like his father. Perpetually unsatisfied with whatever he accomplished. No wonder they both always found a way to exclude from important clan affairs. 

Sasuke clenched his fist. He clamped down on his jaw. It wouldn’t be long before he lost control. He simply turned away walking towards the exit. 

“Ah,” the hot-headed teenage boy replied. “I’ll do my best.” 

Sasuke stood outside the door of the locker room and tilted his head towards the floor until his face was obscured by his bangs. He couldn’t let his brother get to him. Not again. He always won even when there was no competition and it burned Sasuke up inside. He didn’t want to have play second fiddle to his brother for the rest of his life. He needed to find a way to break free from his shadow. 

Just as he was about to walk down the long corridor to the outside world, a voice called out to him. He now had his first official mission as ANBU. He hoped that this was what he needed to set his own path away from his brother.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Sakura had pulled the last of her hastily packed luggage out of her dreadfully, lonely apartment and headed towards the reception desk. She felt new and light for the first time since she’d been here. This mission was the pick me up she needed after the tumultuous past couple months. 

She had almost finished signing out when she heard the dreaded sound of her parents’ protests. They swarmed her in a matter of seconds hurling slights and other reprimands down her throat. 

“Are you serious?!” her mother shouted. 

Sakura peered around the room thankful for the limited amount of guests currently out to witness such an uncalled for spectacle. 

“Listen,” her father started on what she knew would be a rant that the public did not need to see. She hid behind her hands bashfully. “Papa,” Sakura pleaded. “This isn’t really the time-“ 

“So when is the time?” he interrupted, his hands placed on his hips for extra emphasis. “When you’ve already left the village and it’s too late to say something? We let you leave last time because we figured you needed some time to yourself and we respected that. I was able to hold your mother off from every angry letter she sat down to write. We figured with all that time we allowed you to spend apart from us that you’d finally come to terms with what you’re dealing with and return to us.” 

Sakura found herself unable to form a rebuttal. Her father’s disappointed face etched into the back of her mind. Her mother stood to his side with her arms folded and her chin held high. 

“Really…you’ve become more selfish than I could’ve ever imagined, Sakura,” her mother pouted. 

She watched her parents leave with a heavy feeling in her stomach.   
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
He had to have the worst luck in the world. Not only was his first task as ANBU a simple guarding mission, it just had to be one that included Sakura. 

He braced himself for the onslaught of unwanted affection that he knew was coming his way. They’d only been in contact with each other two times since her return, but she was probably holding back in front of everyone. She also seemed to be pretty distracted whenever they met. 

For so long, being on a team with Sai was the worst thing possible and he prayed that she would return, but just thinking of being in close proximity with her again made him remember all those uncomfortable memories of forced affection. 

He just hoped that this mission wouldn’t be too long. Maybe she would be too distracted by her teammates that she wouldn’t even notice him. He was currently waiting at the village gates. He didn’t know how much time had passed before he finally saw them taking what looked like a stroll down the boulevard. There was no sense of urgency in any of their strides. 

He figured that the woman with a fan and a kimono was the client. She looked like she would cause trouble down the line. Sasuke was a person who tried to avoid trouble at any cost. When the woman finally caught up to him, she held her fan over the lower half of her face and giggled. 

“What a handsome guard we have ladies. I told the council that we didn’t need one, but I’m ever so glad to see your face,” she cooed from behind her fan. 

Sasuke didn’t flinch. He was used to people coming onto him unprovoked. It’d be ridiculous of him to react to every one of them. He looked over at the trio not far behind the woman. There was Sakura holding onto a red-headed girl’s hand and another fairly tall brunette to the right of her. They looked like an interesting bunch. He hoped they’d be enough to distract Sakura from her useless pining. 

“Hello Sasuke,” Sakura greeted robotically. “I thought we’d be having Itachi escort us.” 

He couldn’t hide the grimace that came over his body. He should’ve known. He’d only been chosen for this job because his brother wasn’t available. He’d always be stuck with his brother’s leftovers. Sasuke placed his hands in his pockets and shrugged. 

“I guess not.” 

The red-headed girl looked him over with a twinge of fear. She clung tighter to Sakura’s arm. Sakura and the brunette stroked her head and held her close to them. Sasuke couldn’t help but notice how…close they seemed. Sakura damn near gave her a full blown kiss. 

Sasuke shook it off. There was nothing he needed to get himself worried about. As long as the mission was completed, he would tolerate all the peculiarities along the way.


	13. Since You've Been Gone

Karui was holding onto Sakura’s hand for dear life. Sakura wasn’t complaining, but it was definitely odd. They hadn’t shown this much PDA since after breaking up over a year ago. Besides sleeping beside each other or chaste kisses on the forehead, Karui hadn’t initiated much physical contact. 

Jinora sat next to the pair quietly. She was never one to talk much, but when she did, it was usually motherly advice to help the two figure out their problems. To level the playing field, Karui and Sakura would also take her out on dates and ask her about her own life. 

This was the healthiest dynamic that Sakura had ever had with her friends or teammates. No one was in competition nor was anyone being nasty to one another. She really enjoyed how they all clicked so well together. 

They were all seated inside of a horse drawn carriage. Team B sat together on one side while Sasuke and Lady Jin sat across from them. Sasuke was as anti-social as she remembered. He didn’t waste his time with idle banter. He focused his attention out the window of the carriage. 

Lady Jin waved her fan furiously as sweat collected above her brow. It wouldn’t be long before they arrived to their destination, but damn, was it humid. 

“I heard about your little fiasco in the Land of Earth”, Lady Jin started with a smirk. 

Sakura held tighter to Karui’s hand. It was important to look underneath the underneath about whatever this woman said. She always had ulterior motives. 

“News travels fast in the ninja world. I was around the little island town Land of Mist when I heard about it,” Lady Jin commented. She suddenly paused for dramatic effect. Sakura braced herself. “Why…if I’m correct, isn’t this handsome young man one of your former teammates that are a large reason for the sudden upticks in nobles like my husband and I coming to that drab little village? I hope his presence won’t pose a problem for you all’s little team,” the noblewoman jeered pompously. 

Karui held onto Sakura with a koala grip. Sakura responded with a gentle squeeze of her shoulders. She should’ve known that nothing about reuniting their team was sincere. Every time they were requested by her, they had to sift through thousands of unexplained micro aggressions. Lady Jin held both a disdain and a high regard for the girls that they just couldn’t understand. 

Jinora sat up, a sneer etched on her face. “I thought your husband specialized in things like ores and jewels. What would he be doing in a ‘little island town’ like Mist?” the quiet girl asked in a tone that bordered on respectful and annoyed. 

Sakura was amused by it. Jinora rarely ever spoke up in situations, nor did she ever really feel anything besides indifference towards others. This side of her was always nice to see. 

Lady Jin brought her fan up underneath her eyes that sloped downward with her smirk. “It’s always nice to see what others have to offer,” she mused coyly. 

Sakura realized that whatever this weird conversation was, was a losing battle. They had yet to figure out her ulterior motives, but they were sure they’d be in shock when they finally learned of it. Jinora nestled back into her seat after reaching the same conclusion. Sakura squeezed Karui’s hand again. This would be a long mission.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
The Uchiha compound was lively with the noise of almost every Uchiha in one room. A meeting had been called by Fugaku. There had been meetings for months consisting of only head family members. 

Tonight’s meeting had an entirely different tone. The air of seriousness that nestled over the room was suffocating. Not even their excited chatter could drown out the worry that sat like a lump of coal in their stomachs. 

Fugaku stepped up to the podium, his arrogance and pompousness held in his long stride. The room hushed up quickly. Today’s meeting held a tone of finality. No one could remember the last time a meeting that included the entire clan had been called. 

Fugaku cleared his throat. Mikoto, seated somewhere on the stage in the corner, watched the crowd while keeping her hands busy popping the rubber band on her wrist. She felt terrible doing it, but it was the only thing that helped ease her stress. No wonder Sasuke had picked up his own version of her bad habit. 

“In the next coming weeks, we’ll be dissolving the police compound,” Fugaku’s booming voice filtered through the room. 

You could hear a pin drop. The room stopped for a moment. It wasn’t just the shock of the announcement, but also the realization of what they would lose with this decision. 

That’s when the groans of protest came about. What would they do without their police positions? They were already forced into the back of the village with people hoping they’d just disappear. What would become of them? 

Fugaku raised his hand to silence the room. People were still disgruntled. He could hear the aggravated huffs and puffs all around. 

“I understand all of you all’s concerns, but it is for the best. The village, starting with the reign of Tobirama, assigned as us police to be Konoha’s attack dogs. The truth is we have no power. It was a job assigned to us so that we wouldn’t question why we aren’t able to make political decisions in Konoha like other clans are allowed to. We are located in the back of the village along with the police station so that when we ultimately end up arresting and locking up ourselves, we will fade into obscurity. The village has planted seeds of doubt into its citizens about who the Uchiha clan are for decades. These seeds were only further sown by us being police and being forced to discipline villagers like teachers to schoolchildren. Our position in this society has to change for us to truly achieve the peace we want. I implore you all to reflect on what I’ve said. It will be hard to come to terms with, but I hope that you all can find it in your hearts to understand where I am coming from. The Uchiha clan will not be free from its shackles until we understand how we came to be locked in them.”  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
It was nightfall when they finally reached the Land of Spring. Though Karui tried to carry her own bags, Sakura took the load from her and carried them upstairs to their room. 

Lady Jin knew to put them all in one room seeing as she commissioned them for missions so frequently. It was a nice thing to do. It was better than wasting money pretending they wouldn’t all gravitate towards the same room. 

Jinora had gathered all of her belongings and trudged up the stairs. She gave Karui a brief nod before going up. Karui had left behind one of her head scarves and was rushing back outside to retrieve it. Her fresh braids would be fuzzy in the morning if she slept without it. 

The red-head was met with a flustered Sasuke at the bottom of the staircase. He was holding myriad of luggage - courteousy of Lady Jin. No matter where she went, she overpacked. It was a running gag amongst the group. Sasuke packed light from what she could tell. A small bag that probably contained nothing more than a few ANBU suits and some money. 

Lady Jin was still droning on about mundane things to her driver. The man looked exasperated. Karui stifled a laugh. The woman was as demanding as they come. 

Karui walked down the last step in front of a very peeved-looking Sasuke. There wasn’t much she knew about him. She had an idea of his character from the tidbits that Sakura would share about her former team, but she didn’t really know what to make of him. 

“Sasuke-san,” Karui greeted to call his attention. His head snapped in her direction still annoyed. His face softened when he saw her recoil in fright. He tilted his head to acknowledge her call. Karui unclenched and stepped closer to him. “Did you see a colorful scarf in the carriage?” 

Sasuke nodded curtly. He turned to the side a little to show the scarf hanging loosely onto one of the many bags of luggage he was holding. 

“Thank you,” Karui chirped as she swiped the scarf away. She scampered off back up the stairs leaving a disheveled Sasuke behind. She opened the doors of their shared room to a frantic looking Sakura and a mildly worried Jinora. 

“Where were you?” Sakura asked with anxiety tinging her voice. 

Karui lifted the silk scarf. Sakura took a deep breath in understanding. Jinora primped her wet hair with a towel she found in the inn’s bathroom. She had already changed into her night clothes and was on the verge of collapsing in a nearby chair. 

“I’m going to shower now,” Karui commented without waiting for a reply. She picked up a towel and the clothes she’d set out for her bath and entered the bathroom. She locked the door and took a peak at herself in the mirror. 

Even though she wasn’t letting her teammates on, Karui was crumbling. That investigation, as much as the Raikage tried to mitigate her questioning time, was brutal. She felt like she had all those years ago on that tragic day as a genin. Her walls closed in, she could barely breathe, and she felt so vulnerable…naked almost. 

Undressing herself was hard. Even without glancing at her body, it still caused her anxiety. Washing herself was an out of body experience. It wasn’t long before she was turning the knob for the shower off. 

Karui was careful not to catch a glimpse of herself in the mirror as she toweled off and eventually put on her night gown. The hyper awareness of her body caused her grief that she was sure she would always struggle to handle. 

When she exited the bathroom, she was so out of it that she didn’t register Sakura getting up to take a shower after her nor Jinora snuggling up next to her on the bed. 

It wasn’t long before Sakura rolled into bed next to her. Karui sat wedged between the two looking up at the ceiling idly. 

“Is there something wrong?” Sakura asked in a low tone. 

Karui turned to face the pink-haired girl. Worry pooled in her evergreen eyes. Karui could feel Jinora’s grip around her waist tighten. 

“Do you think after this mission that we’ll ever be a team again?” 

The room stood still for a moment. No one dared to breathe. The pregnant silence consumed the room and brought forth all their anxieties and inhibitions. As much as they wanted to believe that they’d always be together, in the back of their minds they knew their time together was temporary. 

“The Kage summit is soon. They’ll come to their senses and let us be,” Sakura said, uncertainty hanging on her tongue. 

Karui sat up. Sakura and Jinora watched her worriedly. 

“But what if they don’t?” Karui whined. 

Sakura’s mouth opened, but closed in defeat. Jinora looked away in shame. 

“The other villages hate Kumo. They think the Raikage is greedy because the economy has been booming as a result of the program.” 

Sakura recoiled under the comforter. Jinora considered the words a moment before sitting up in the bed alongside Karui. 

“It’s expected. At the end of the day, ninjas don’t really work in the best interest of themselves nor the village, it’s all about making money for the elites. All we can do for now is enjoy the time we have together,” Jinora offered in her distinctive monotone. 

She patted Karui on the shoulder and nestled underneath the covers. Karui followed suit. 

A few hours passed and Karui could do nothing but toss and turn. She was too filled with worry to even close her eyes long enough. The sounds of Jinora’s and Sakura’s voices were muffled. All she remembered was Sakura handing her a cup of tea and falling asleep right after.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
“Well, we were all rather fascinated by the stories of your latest feat. Not to mention that we are in need of a nice, sturdy bridge to replace our old, rickety one. The villagers and I decided that your team was the best option for the job,” Lady Jin remarked coyly from behind her fan. 

Sasuke furrowed his brows. There was obviously some weird vendetta going on between the four. He often felt like he was intruding on a private subject. She’d gone out of her way to request these girls from their respective villages to form a team, but looked for ways to goad them into passive aggressive banter all the time. 

He shook his head. There was no reason for him to get involved. He was already on a hand me down mission. All he wanted to do was get it over with to go on a real mission tailored to his expertise. 

He saw the way Sakura’s hands clenched at the noblewoman’s ridiculous request. It was obvious that her ability was supposed to be kept on the down low, but this woman and the other equally messy villagers had other ideas. 

The red-headed girl that he’d heard them call Karui grabbed Sakura’s hand and squeezed it. The clenched muscles of her body instantly relaxed. The quiet brunette, Jinora, placed an affirming hand on her shoulder. 

Sasuke watched the group carefully. They were definitely an odd little bunch. Especially Sakura and Karui. Whatever was going on between the two looked like more than just two teammates who missed each other. All the longing glances and excessive need to touch each other raised red flags in his mind. Even he, a self-assessed loner, could tell that there was something more than met the eye. 

Sakura agreed to the task with little resistance. He could understand why. The woman was really persistent and too rich to deny. Sakura was able to summon a bridge with the technique flawlessly. She looked a little faint, but besides that, she got back up to work like a well-oiled machine. 

After the bridge was put in place, there was the need to “beautify” it. They spent the rest of the morning lugging the material back and forth onto the bridge and helping with decoration construction. 

Sasuke had spent most of his morning pretending not to notice the eyes of women and girls that examined his every move. He had gotten used to the leering over the years. It would always follow him so it would be pointless to get upset about it every time. But it was different because several older women around Lady Jin’s age had propositioned him for sex. 

This was another aspect of his life that he’d gotten used to. Since he started taking missions in his genin days, older women had been pursuing him. From the lustful stares to coaxing him into their homes under the guise of having him fix something, those women had tried it all. It was actually how he’d lost his virginity. 

In the early onset of his chuunin days when he first started getting solo missions, there was a middle aged woman in a small, non-ninja village who had completely broken down all his barriers and bedded him. She spoke at length about “teaching him the ropes”, but he ended up feeling disgusted with himself afterwards. 

It didn’t make it any better that she’d roped him under her spell the next few times that he’d taken a mission in that same little village. He’d made sure to avoid any missions from that particular village again after the last time he’d visited and told her that they’d have to stop. She wept while going on about how they loved each other and that he was being selfish. 

Sasuke shuddered at the memory. No matter how many times he tried to suppress the memory, it would come back in waves and he would spend hours trying to wash away the icky feeling that settled onto his skin and penetrated his bones. 

When Sasuke finally looked up from his work, he could see the girls walking over to a makeshift lunch site provided by the villagers. Meals and snacks galore were stacked on top of the wooden table. There were fish platters, rice bowls, barbecue, and everything you could dream of. 

Sasuke set down the block of wood he was holding and headed towards a nearby bathroom. He needed to wash up. 

Sweat dripped down his back and clung to his skintight shirt. He didn’t miss the catcalls he got as he entered the restroom. He stopped to take a look in the dirty mirror and released a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Today was a long one…

and it was only the afternoon. 

Sasuke washed his hands and splashed a bit of water on his face to cool down. He took another breath to ready himself and then walked out the bathroom. He could see Sakura’s team already seated at the table with their plates filled. Nosy villagers who’d probably pinched into their lunch fund sat at surrounding tables. 

When Sasuke was finally close enough to the table to sit down, he noticed how small all the girls’ plates were. A bowl of rice, very minimal meat, and loads of vegetables would not fill them up enough to be able to continue the mission. He wondered if they ate like this all the time. 

Sakura was the most reluctant. She stared at her food as if it was some unidentified substance you’d find in a lab. It was Jinora who fixed her with a stern look and made her start eating. Her chews were slow and deliberate. She had to take at least two minutes to swallow every mouthful. This was beyond savoring your food. 

Karui glanced over at her a few times and smiled. It seemed enough to give Sakura the strength to eat. 

Sasuke shrugged. He had no time to pathologize their odd team dynamic. He made himself a large helping of everything that wasn’t too sweet and ate quietly. Lady Jin drawled on about the itinerary for the rest of the day, but Sasuke barely registered her words. If it was important he’d figure it out later.   
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
The day was finally over. 

Sasuke rushed to take off his sweat drenched shirt. 

There was no let-up today. The work was strenuous, but most of it was done thanks to Sakura’s monstrous strength. He didn’t know how she’d mustered up the strength with the meal he saw her eat, but she worked like a machine bringing in all the heavy material to construct the bridge. 

Her team was also very in sync with one another. Without speaking, they were all able to communicate to each other which task needed to be done by who and it helped them work like an assembly line. 

He’d never been able to work with Team Kakashi like that, not even when Sakura was on the team. Just as he was about to head into a nice, hot shower, a knock sounded at his door. He grimaced. He prayed it wasn’t one of those women he’d seen making vulgar gestures at him earlier. 

He opened the door, still a bit peeved, to find Sakura standing there with a basket in hand. She looked a bit startled and he had to remind himself of how mean he probably looked. He calmed his stance and held the door open to her. She shook her head profusely and held the basket out towards him. 

“Lady Jin’s friend, Miko, wanted to give this to you,” Sakura said as Sasuke took the basket in his hands. “She said you kept disappearing, so she wanted me to make sure you got it.” 

Sasuke looked at the basket skeptically. There was no telling what those perverted older women had gotten for him. He was scared to look in it by himself. He glanced back up from the basket to see Sakura walking away. 

Something about it made a funny feeling rise in the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t pinpoint what had been wrong about every interaction they’d had since her return, but there was something underneath the surface that he just couldn’t figure out. 

“Sakura,” he called out. A desperation he didn’t even know he had clung to his tone. 

She turned around to face him looking as clueless as ever. It was the first time that he’d really taken a look at her. Sakura was still the personification of spring, but something had changed about her features. The girl he’d begrudgingly came to know was different…and it wasn’t just because she’d gotten older. 

He realized he was taking a long time to reply and he shifted awkwardly from his threshold. “Earlier, in the carriage, Lady Jin said I was your former teammate,” he noted. 

He didn’t know why the thought came to him. He hadn’t even been bothered by it when she said it. Why did he even bring it up? 

Sakura looked at him expectantly like he hadn’t already asked a question in his own roundabout way. “Yes…?” she questioned in a singsong voice. 

He winced. He never used to have to fill in the blanks of his speech. People just usually adapted to his restricted word use. 

“Are we former teammates?” 

Sakura sighed like she was talking to a petulant child. He frowned, but returned to a neutral face. “Well, if the Kage summit goes well, I’ll petition to be permanently removed from Team 7 and only work on Team B,” she stated without care. 

Sasuke nodded his head. Sakura waved him off before disappearing into the long corridor. A sinking feeling rose in the pit of his stomach. He closed and locked the door of his room. He had no time to figure out his feelings. He scrubbed himself abrasively under the scalding hot shower.


	14. The Beginning of the End

The bridge was completed before noon. 

The workers and the commissioned team alike were winding down in separate areas. It wasn’t as boiling hot as it was yesterday. A nice breeze caressed their skin occasionally, making the work load less laborious. 

Karui stood under the shade of one of the patios near the construction site. The annoying buzz of mosquitoes sounded like nails on a chalkboard. She constantly swatted at her skin in paranoia. She sat in a spare porch swing and watched the villagers speak to each other. 

Aside from Lady Jin, everyone else here seemed fairly normal. Well…if you counted the perverted men who made constant passes at the trio. 

Karui sat back and crossed her legs. Another breeze had passed by. The journey was definitely looking up. She felt confident about the Kage summit. How could they deny such a beneficial part of ninja village relations? 

Before Karui could even blink, the villagers started screaming. She shot up from her seat in an instant. Sakura and Jinora could be seen from the bridge leading the civilians to safety. Karui ran towards them to help. Sasuke showed up on their rear with his sharingan blazing and ready to detect any moment. 

They were currently trapped in a cloud of dust that distorted their senses. The trio moved closer to Sasuke whose eyes roved all over for the truth. Karui withdrew a scroll from her back packet. In a quick hand seal and a flash of chakra, her signature sword appeared in her hands. She held it up in front of herself defensively. The four teenagers stood closer together as the enemy in question kept themselves in hiding. 

It was Jinora who made the first move. The brunette took a large inhale as she went through a series of seals and released a breath that turned into a whirlwind strong enough to blast the smoke cloud away. The smoke cleared to reveal two men without a headband in place running towards them. 

One was bandaged up everywhere except for the eyes while the other was dressed in all black leather with a black mask covering the lower half of his face. Karui could tell from their chakra signatures that they were probably no more than newly promoted chuunin, but something about them seemed off. They moved like possessed dolls. 

Karui dodged one of the men’s punches. She looked up to see Jinora and Sakura signaling one of their team sequences. She nodded in acknowledgement and started running towards the men swinging her sword. 

A dancelike battle ensued. Karui swung her sword back and forth gracefully as the two men parried her. They had no idea they were dealing with a master swordsman. She loved the way sparks flew from her sword as she fought. 

Sasuke wasn’t too far behind her throwing shuriken and ninja stars freely. None of them landed because the men were too fast. Karui had a feeling that he was only throwing them to test their abilities. The two possessed men suddenly stood next to each other on the bridge and formed a wall of earth. 

Jinora showed up from her hiding spot and coaxed the men into following her into the forest to not damage the bridge. As planned, they followed in pursuit. Karui and Sasuke trailed not far behind them. He looked a little worse for wear, but still full of fire. 

The battle continued in a large, open field a few miles off from the bridge connecting the village to a nearby forest. The two men flew through seals that allowed them to spit puddles of mud at the teenagers. When the mud hit the forest ground, it melted all the life around it. 

It was probably an acid. 

Karui didn’t want to find out which. 

Jinora was blasting small jets of wind in their directions to counter the attack. The men dodged every parry in sync. Karui bit her lip. This battle needed to end now. Karui swiped at them with her sword a few more times. The bandaged one ran until he stood on the tip of her sword and lunged forward to punch her. She pulled her sword from underneath his feet with catlike reflexes. 

The bandaged man disappeared in a puff of smoke. She could feel his chakra reappear behind her. She ducked when she felt the air shift with the punch he tried to throw to the back of her head. Sasuke appeared behind the man, picked him up by his feet, and threw him towards the center of the battlefield. 

A loud chirping sound came from behind her. Karui turned backwards to see Sasuke forming a ball of lightning in his hand. Karui knew Sakura was planning the final nail in the coffin for their fight sequence. When he started to run towards the perfectly planned out final scene of the battle, she held him back and snuffed out his attack with a simple tap on the back of his hand. She’d cut off his chakra supply if he proved to disrupt their teamwork. 

He looked at her incredulously. He had no reason why she would stop him from putting in a perfectly good hit. Karui tilted her head towards the battleground. Sakura appeared in the air with her signature battle cry. She held her hands together above her head midair before dropping them to the ground and resetting the entire makeup of the forest floor. 

Debris flew everywhere. There was no stone left unturned. Trees were uprooted and scattered all over. Karui planted herself and Sasuke to the ground. They flew back a little from the strength of Sakura’s attack, but their feet never left the floor. As the dust settled, Karui looked up to see what had become of the battle. 

Jinora was standing a little distance away on an uprooted tree making sure of the others’ safety. When she noticed Karui and Sasuke were still alive, she gestured for them to come with her towards Sakura. Sakura was holding the culprits up in a tangle of vines and branches. She had her hands on both the men’s temples. 

Karui drew nearer to her and watched as her eyebrows strained in concentration. She was using genjutsu to figure out the men’s reason for attacking them. Jinora picked and pulled at the vegetation in reserved awe. 

Sasuke stood behind them at a distance with a look of disbelief. He was probably still peeved about her dissolving his technique. 

Karui shrugged. He’d get over himself. 

Sakura removed her hands from the foreheads of the men. She looked out at the group with quiet panic. Whatever was to come was not going to end well.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
The villagers were spooked, but it was thankfully nothing more than that. 

Sakura went around the campsite checking the villagers’ vitals along with her other teammates. When they were coming back from the battleground, Sasuke seemed a bit pissed. She shook it off. Her time on Team 7 taught her that nothing she did to comfort him would ever satisfy his insatiable ego. 

If he was angry, he could piss off and figure his emotions out himself. There was no need for her to put her neck out on the line just to get cut with the sharpness of his tongue.   
The last villager was finally patched up and shaken out of their bad nerves. Sakura stared off into the distance towards the bridge. The wall of earth that ran through it from the possessed men’s attack was easily patched up. The other decorative parts of the bridge like the paint and added steel parts had been buffeted from the strength of their attacks. 

If it was a problem for the villagers, none had commented. Most were still shaking too hard from the sudden attack to complain about it anyway. 

The bodies of the two men were disposed of properly. There was no way they’d have been able to survive that final earth shattering attack Sakura laid out even if they tried. Death was all that surrounded ninja life and those men had known it up until the moment they died.

Sakura, Karui, and Jinora looked at each other in perfect sync and met under the patio shade. Sasuke could be seen stomping past them angrily, his fist balled in tight knots. 

“Why’s he so pissy?” Jinora joked more than asked as she flicked a piece of ear wax out of her ear. 

Sakura shrugged hopelessly. She’d never really known the guy. The time apart didn’t make it any better. 

The trio spent the next few hours in their shared room lying next to each other on the floor with their legs up against the wall. They spoke about trivial things like the latest music that they’d been listening to or past relationships. The mundanity was oddly calming. Laziness was a luxury to ninjas all over with the fast pace of missions and the uncertainty of living to see the next day. 

For a moment, they felt like regular teenage girls without the stress or care of being responsible for their village’s safety. It didn’t take long for the fantasy to end. It should’ve been expected. The life of a ninja was nothing if not hectic. 

Jinora was the one to get up and open the door. Lady Jin invited herself in. She would’ve been mildly annoyed if the woman didn’t look so thoroughly frazzled. 

Lady Jin wasn’t even carrying her signature fan. Her neatly pinned blonde hair was tossed wildly, her perfectly placed eyeliner was running, and the elegant kimono she rocked everywhere was ruffled with the sharp lines of the fabric out of line from where they should be. Sakura and Karui rose from their places on the floor. Whatever was happening was serious. 

“It’s you, Sakura,” Lady Jin choked out. They’d never seen the woman so overcome with emotion…besides negativity. “They didn’t just send that boy with you. Somebody reported you using the wood release technique. They’re coming to arrest you now.” 

None of them had time to react before figures moving at the speed of light swarmed the room and knocked them all out.   
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Naruto was upset to say the least. Why did Sasuke get to have all the fun? He thought he should’ve been a candidate for the mission to formally recreate the original Team 7. 

He could just imagine them now. They were probably all over each other now that he wasn’t present to interrupt. As much as Sasuke refused to admit it, Naruto knew as sure as he knew that Ichiraku’s served the best ramen that Sasuke missed Sakura’s presence on the team just as much as he did. 

It became especially obvious after the addition of Sai. Sasuke didn’t even acknowledge his presence after the first week. 

Naruto’s anger had lead him to the Hokage’s office. He had made his grand entrance by slamming the doors open. Tsunade didn’t have the chance to be annoyed. She was sitting at the Hokage’s desk with her hand over her mouth shaking in fear. 

Naruto noticed her reading a scroll. He was surprised that there were no alcohol bottles in sight, but he was still pissed about his team placement, so he trudged on. He slammed his hands on her table with an angry huff. Tsunade didn’t bother looking up. 

Now that he was closer, he could see her pupils dilate and tear up as her eyes roamed back and forth to read the document. Naruto calmed down and watched the Godaime carefully. She’d usually throw him out by now. He leaned further over his desk to get a glimpse of the document. 

Tsunade snatched it away and stuffed into one other drawers connected to her desk. She stood up abruptly and started looking through file cabinets. Worry set into Naruto’s bones. This could not be good. 

“Baa-chan…what’s going on?” Tsunade turned to him with a worried look. Things were especially bad if she didn’t check him for the slight at her age. They stared at each other for a few more moments before Tsunade finally took a deep breath. 

“Sakura’s been arrested,” she replied sullenly. 

Hot blood ran through Naruto’s veins. He could feel the first signs of the Kyuubi’s chakra ignite within him. He counted down from 10 in his mind to counteract the tailed beast’s stronghold on him. Naruto grinded his teeth together. He wasn’t fully calm, but this was the best he was going to get with the bomb she’d just dropped on him. 

“Her team, client, and Sasuke have also been taken into custody,” she finished. 

Naruto repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists. If this was a different time, he might’ve ran straight out of the village just to rescue them. However, he was mindful of his parents who would worry endlessly about his safety. 

He moved closer to Tsunade and steeled himself. “Where are they?” Naruto spat. 

His eyes glazed over with the intent to harm. Tsunade watched him. She took in all his anger and was for once thankful for the bullheaded boy’s tenacity. 

“We’re pushing the Kage summit up. Be ready to leave early tomorrow morning.” Naruto zoomed out of the office at an inhumane speed. He’d forgotten what he’d originally even come to the Hokage Tower for. Saving his friends was his only priority now.   
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
“Have you heard about the Uchihas?” Koharu said with disgust as she sauntered into one of the underground rooms of the Root building. 

The door shut behind her loudly by the help of one of the guards. All three members of the council were gathered on this cold, blustery night to air some more grievances. If they thought they hated Itachi before, they would downright drag him down to the pits of hell now. 

“I heard about those uppity rats,” Danzou scowled. He gestured one of his Root members over to hand him a muffler. This building needed to be better insulated. He’d have to look into the matter in the future. 

“Who do they think they are trying to dissolve the police force? What will they achieve in this village without it?” 

“I believe they’re trying to prove a point,” Homaru suggested. 

All three nodded their heads in consideration. The Uchiha were a devious people. They did nothing without sinister motive behind it. Their mentor, Tobirama, should’ve put them all out of their misery years ago. Maybe then the village wouldn’t have to suffer as a result of their cursed bloodlines. 

“We’ll let things play out for a while,” Koharu offered. “The villagers will naturally come to distrust them – they already do. The police are believed to be an essential force. We’ll make sure there’s an uptick in crime in the Uchihas absence and cause further discord between them and the other villagers.” 

“If that boy had just done his job-“ 

“We can’t bother ourselves with the ‘what ifs’ and could’ve beens’. We all believed Itachi was skilled and wise beyond his years, but we forgot that he’s an Uchiha before anything else. They are weak and too susceptible to emotions to be able to be properly trusted to handle anything beyond themselves. Hell, they even have a hard time doing that,” Koharu rambled. 

Homaru clenched his fist. He clamped his mouth together trying not to have an outburst with agents standing right outside the door. Danzo moved to stand between the two and placed on each of their shoulders. 

“The Uchiha were always meant to fall. Their end is soon and we will be here to witness it as our mentor would have liked.”  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
A long, tense dinner occurred at the main Uchiha house. No one said a word as they nibbled away at their meal. Mikoto couldn’t stomach anything. When Itachi and Fugaku finished their food, she grabbed them both on her way to dump her plate in the garbage. 

She’d been popping the rubberband on her wrist like a madman under the table all night. She couldn’t help it. She’d been so blindsided by the news yesterday evening that she couldn’t focus. 

Her husband was always making decisions without consulting her. Didn’t her opinion matter, too? Fugaku couldn’t have been thinking of the serious repercussions that the clan would face as a result of this decision. Him and a total of three other guys had probably come up with this plan and now they all had to suffer. She’d been loyal to him all these years and he still didn’t trust her enough to run decisions by her?! 

A strong, tender hand clamped down on her wrist. She must’ve been snapping that rubber band something serious because Itachi’s eyes were full of concern. 

“Oh, Itachi,” she said breathlessly. “I didn’t notice you there. Did you need something?” 

He lifted her wrist until it was eye level. He unfolded his long fingers from around her wrist to reveal the blood that pooled underneath. Mikoto looked absolutely horrified. She hadn’t done something this bad in years. Maybe it was time she started seeing a shrink again. 

Itachi watched her panicked expression carefully before pulling the first aid from one of the cabinet drawers. He dabbed her wrist with alcohol. She hissed in pain respectively. He then went on to wrap some gauze around the wounded area and confiscated her rubber band. She pouted childishly. 

Itachi kept his chin held high as he dumped the offending object into the dumpster. They moved onto washing the dishes silently. Itachi lathered and soaked them in the sink while his mother dried them. It was calming. The house was always quiet, but it almost never peaceful. Mikoto could feel her shoulders relax as she wiped each dish dry. 

“I take it you’re not very fond of the decision at yesterday’s meeting,” Itachi commented as he scrubbed another dish. 

Mikoto snorted. Boy was he underestimating her feelings. 

“My fondness of decisions that will benefit the clan matter little in the grand scheme of things. What I’m wondering is why I was never consulted about this at any stage of the process.” 

Itachi chuckled heartily. Mikoto felt pink rise to her cheeks. She was being so candid with her son. It was probably because she hadn’t talked to anyone in so long. Most of her day was spent on upkeep of the house and her grocery trips were far and few in between seeing as she was the only one consistently at the house. 

“Then I guess you two will have a lot to talk about tonight.” 

They washed the dishes together in silence. Only the sound of the running faucet filled the room. When the last dish was dried, Itachi turned to face his mother. 

“Sasuke’s ANBU test was yesterday.” 

“Oh,” Mikoto gasped, having completely forgotten. “I should’ve prepared something special for him tonight.” 

Itachi shook his head as he chuckled. “There’s no need. He’s already been assigned a mission.” 

“Is that so?” 

“Yes. But I’m afraid that he’s angry with me right now.” 

Mikoto scoffed. She tapped Itachi’s arm to signal him to move from in front of the cabinet she was trying to put the dish in. 

“When isn’t he?” 

“True,” Itachi laughed. “But he’s going to be very angry with me soon. The mission is a simple guard one and it was originally intended for me.” 

Mikoto frowned up at her eldest son. Itachi held his hands up defensively. “I had no idea that it’d be given to him instead,” he explained. “Either way, I couldn’t take the mission. I have to help tou-san with the preparations for the disbandment of the police department. We all have to do our part to help.” 

Mikoto sighed. This was a recipe for disaster. “Sasuke-kun won’t be happy at all when he returns.”


	15. Into The Unknown

Everything was a blur. The concept of time nor space existed. 

A constant, throbbing pain racked through Sakura’s brain. Her head hurt so bad that she couldn’t even see straight. She touched her head and felt the dried blood on her scalp. She’d probably been bludgeoned with a blunt object. There was no need for that when she could’ve easily been knocked out through a safer, more effective method like chakra suppression. 

Sakura brought her glowing green hand to the wound. No matter. When she got out of…wherever this was, she would be making a formal complaint to anyone who mattered until she got justice. Her vision cleared bit by bit. 

The healing process took longer than usual because she was in so much pain. Her vision and the rest of her senses slowly came back to normal. The room reeked of an unidentifiable must. The air was humid. The way the air stuck to her body and made her hair limp and her clothes stick unnaturally to her body was unnerving. 

She could finally see the slimy steel bars that kept her locked away. She rushed off the dirty cot she lied on to grasp them. She looked through the bars frantically. She was completely alone. There were no chakra presences near her and only the sound of the water leak from the roof of her imprisonment chamber could be heard. 

Sakura wanted to cry out, but she thought that it wouldn’t be the best time to in a situation like this. She didn’t want to draw attention to herself. She linked her hands together for a chakra suppression seal. It would be harder to do now with less chakra, but she pulled at the steel bars with all the strength her chakra would allow her. 

Sweat poured down her face from what could’ve been exertion or anxiety. It took a few minutes before she heard the bars creasing from her brute strength. When she made a hole wide enough for her body to slip through, she cautiously placed a toe out into the darkened foyer. 

Nothing passed but the eerie droplet sounds from the leaking wall. Sakura was sure to keep her footfalls silent. She had no idea of what lurked in the poorly lit hallway. She wished she would’ve worn her black jumpsuit instead of her red one with her family symbol. She was just asking to get caught. 

The light at the end of the tunnel was coming into view. Sakura picked up her pace. The taps of her footfalls were light, but not silent. It didn’t bother her though. She’d find out where she was as soon as she reached the end. 

In the midst of her jog to freedom, a figure obscured the light that filtered through the tunnel. 

Someone’s coming. 

She jumped and clung to the dirt ceiling watching as the figure moved in closer. It was tense. Her anxiety was on ten watching the figure come closer, ever so slowly as it continued to look all around as if it had noticed her. 

The figure came directly underneath and paused again to look. She figured it would be pointless to just hide around these mud-caked walls playing a cat and mouse that would probably end in her defeat. She counted to three and pounced onto the figure. 

At closer inspection, she could see that it was a man. He looked scared shitless. 

Good. That’ll make it easier to get information out of him. 

She held him down on the ground with her knee pressed to his neck. He gasped for breath, but she was not feeling very merciful. 

“S-Sakura,” he choked out. 

She shifted her knee off of his neck and turned his body over belly up. She made sure to keep him down on the ground her strength. 

“Where are my teammates?” she barked. 

He made a move to sit up as he tried to gather more air into his lungs. Sakura pushed him back down with an unforeseen animosity. 

“I…came…to…release…you.”  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
The Kage Summit was…going. They’d all been here for the past few hours after having a few short days’ notice to even attend. The agreement was to meet in Kumo, the hub for the program. The atmosphere was tense. Not much of anything was said in the past few hours that they’d all been sitting there. The conversation felt pointless. 

“Well, isn’t this all quite nice?” Mei, the fifth Mizukage, mused. 

No one in this room looked happy to be here. It was expected though. The dreaded kage summit was something that everyone had been dragging their feet on. It was Tsunade who demanded they all gather in a matter of three days or she promised hell. Even though all the kages possessed skills that allowed them to don the title, this woman was a seasoned shinobi with more experience in war, combat, and death than all of them combined. 

Her fury was not something they wanted to unleash even if they did believe that they could beat her. Plus, no matter how much they didn’t want to come to this summit, everybody had grievances with one another that they wanted to put all out on the table. 

Onoki, the third Tsuchikage, offered nothing but a disgruntled huff. The senile old man had better things to do than pretend to be friends with all these other, younger high rollers from different villages. He was set on never reopening this confounded program again. 

It was peer pressure that made him give in the first time. Everyone else had already approved and signed ninjas up for the program. If he didn’t play along with them, Iwagakure was in no position to go into a war against the other villages. 

The reveal of Suna’s plan to attack Konoha was no surprise. That village had always been full of wolves in sheep’s clothing. Iwa had been in conflict with them for years and the news of the attack did nothing to ease the already high concentration of distrust held between both the villages. 

“This is ridiculous,” the bitter old man spat. “The program is not going to be reinstated and this meeting is not important enough to have so suddenly. Especially just for your apprentice Hokage-sama.” 

Tsunade ignored him. She sat at the table with her hands folded seething in rage. Shizune, with Tonton in her hands, was frazzled. She’d barely caught Tsunade before she left with Naruto. Thankfully, Shizune was able to gather Kakashi and Yamato last minute to guard her. 

Shizune had never seen Tsunade move so fast. All that she knew was that something had happened to Sakura and it had mobilized Tsunade in a way she’d never seen before. The apprentice that she took in without question - who’d become a pseudo daughter - was in danger. What other motivation did she need to apply pressure to her fellow kage? 

Tsunade had a history of riling people up. She’d been the one to advocate for more accessible teaching of medical healing in the ninja world. If everybody was so focused on being in the action of the ninja world, who would be there to heal the wounded? 

This was lesser known, but she’d also fought tooth and nail for better mental health services to be available for those in the village. They couldn’t honestly expect these people, ninja and civilian alike, to experience as gruesome a war as they did and just end up okay. 

This was one of the many reasons why the council held such a disdain for her. They weren’t willing to allocate the excessive funds from their salaries into programs that would actually better the village. 

“This summit is necessary. You are all letting your petty beliefs and long held prejudices hold you back from looking at the truth. This program has helped all of us, not just the Raikage. It’d be foolish to look at it any other way just because you couldn’t get the unexpected revenue from it,” Tsunade snapped. “Maybe next time you’ll offer up your own villages for future international endeavors.” 

The Tsuchikage pouted. 

Mei placed her chin onto the palm of her propped up hand. There was no denying the talent that came back to Kiri. As much as the fifth Mizukage tried to right the wrongs of the previous administrations, she could not do it all by herself. When she’d received the offer, she didn’t hesitate to approve it. From the political turmoil, the Bloody Mist Village, and other conflicts, Kiri’s need for growth stretched farther than she could reach. 

“I agree with Hokage-sama. I’m seeing water release techniques that haven’t been seen for decades in Kiri. Who knows?” Mei took a pause for dramatic effect. “Our prized Seven Swordsman might even make a comeback. I’ve seen some great potential candidates!” 

The roundtable considered her enthusiasm for a moment. Ao watched her carefully. The woman was very optimistic and though it could be useful for certain situations, it could be used against her. Her naivety was both a blessing and curse. 

Chojuro stood on her other side shaking in his boots. The tenseness of the situation was getting to him and he feared that he would disappoint his dear Mizukage when it came time to battle. 

Gaara blinked slowly. He drank in the entire scene. It was clear to him that the only reason disagreements were being held was because of embittered histories between the villages, not because of the recent program. 

Gaara had done a lot of growing since the planned attack on Konoha. All that anger he harbored had nowhere to release itself, so he held it all in until it found its way out. It wasn’t until he was met with Naruto’s unbreakable spirit that he was finally able to look at himself. 

Naruto’s words of affirmation were a good starting point, but a bit tone deaf because he had his parents standing beside him. It took Gaara more self-reflection to understand what he’d become. The tailed beast was sealed inside of him without his consent. His father saw him as a tool, not as a person capable of love or being loved. His mother sacrificed everything for him and he was pushing away the only people who truly loved him, Kankuro and Temari. 

Realizing the love that they held for him was what ultimately helped him to change. He glanced at his brother and sister who gave him a reaffirming smile. He drew attention to himself and watched as the other kages turned to him. 

“The program has nothing to do with you all’s past transgressions. It set out to fulfill one purpose: to avoid another war and to boost a sense of comradery amongst ninjas of all nations. Ignoring the positive results of this enactment of this program would be a disservice to all parties, but mostly to the ninjas who have fostered such great relationships in their time spent together,” Gaara finished in his monotone. 

Onoki still looked disgruntled by it all. He didn’t want to make peace with what he found to be bullshit. “That’s all swell and dandy, but when it all comes down to it, only one village has benefitted from all of this,” the old man ranted with a brief look in the Raikage’s direction. “We’re all only here because the Hokage’s apprentice was arrested on a mission for performing a technique that was once only traceable to the first Hokage. If we can allow behavior like this, there is no telling the amount of ‘forgotten’ techniques that will now pop up as a result of this program.” 

Tsunade gritted her teeth. She was tired of playing with old fuddy duddies who wished for nothing more than to return to the old days of dreary war. She’d lost too much to regress to the way things used to be. 

“With a village as corrupt as yours, I’d avoid speaking on anyone’s credentials. Especially with the questionable ninjas you’ve hired to do your dirty work,” Tsunade snipped. 

Onoki looked just about ready to jump on the table and fight. A, the fourth Raikage, slammed his hands on the table. His face was scrunched into a silent fury. A shouting match was about to start and they’d gotten nothing done in all their time here. 

“This is a pointless argument. It’s obvious that you all have biased opinions that can’t all be based in concrete facts. If you want to know how everything is run in my village as a result of the program, I suggest you all send those ninjas back here and let them show you what they so desperately want to return to.”  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
“Let’s go.” An ANBU agent from Konoha exited the pristine hospital room. 

Sasuke placed his hand on his head ever so gently and recoiled in pain. His head felt like someone was repeatedly thumping him with a mallet. Even with the medical assistance he’d just received, he was sure Ibuprofen wouldn’t be able to knock out the headache he was experiencing. 

Sasuke had been released from prison earlier that morning. He’d been woken up to loud noises that he couldn’t decipher in the confusion. His vision had only just returned to him about thirty minutes ago so he couldn’t identify the bastards who’d done this to him if he wanted. 

From what he could tell, he was not in Konoha. He wasn’t familiar with the terrain he caught glimpses of out of the hospital window. The hospital room also looked vastly different from any he’d ever seen in Konoha. Even Sasuke, who avoided the hospital at all costs, knew what it looked like…or at least what it was supposed to look like. 

He rose from the hard cot and stretched. Wherever they’d placed him previously didn’t have a comfortable bed for him to lay on. His back ached with kinks and soreness he’d never known were possible. Sasuke kneaded his hands into his lower back. Much to his chagrin, he’d probably have to schedule a trip to a masseuse to feel better. 

He trudged out of the weirdly designed hospital room. The ANBU agent from before was waiting outside for him with a straight face. If Sasuke had the energy, he believed he would’ve slapped the shit out of the smug man for his insensitivity. The ANBU agent walked off leaving Sasuke to follow blindly after him. 

The Uchiha boy followed behind him at a considerably slower pace. Every movement he made felt like electric shocks to his head. The doctors probably hadn’t even given these ninjas the ok to have him up and about so soon. Sasuke promised to himself that the next time his mother or the godaime put him on bedrest, he would oblige them without complaint. 

It took a while before they reached their destination, but Sasuke knew he was in no shape to deal with whatever they were about to subject him to. The ANBU agent opened the door for him – the first kind action he’d done – and shut it hard behind him. 

Sasuke jumped slightly in surprise. All these loud noises were not helping the throbbing headache he was trying to nurse. When the tremors from his headache died down, Sasuke looked around the room to find ninjas with both Leaf and Lightning headbands all around. 

Fuck. 

He was under investigation with a debilitating headache. 

A Kumo ninja walked over and pulled out a chair for him. Sasuke, with a hand holding onto his head for superficial pain relief, took the seat with a small nod of gratitude. A Konoha ninja sat directly across from him fixing a stack of papers. Sasuke raised a brow. The ninja smiled at him as if he wasn’t probably facing serious charges. 

“Good afternoon. I’m sorry to hear about your injury. It was a thoughtless, yet precautionary move our ANBU had to use to ensure that you wouldn’t try escaping.” 

Sasuke scoffed. There was no reason to knock him out in such a brutal way. Especially since he was now an ANBU member himself. 

He guessed that’s what came with taking Itachi’s leftovers. Only Itachi would be trusted to handle them. His little brother wasn’t half the ninja he was and therefore not to be relied on. 

He would have given a snide remark if he wasn’t in such pain. The ninja before him took his silence as agreement. 

“Through the extra surveillance measures that we put in for this mission to take place, we saw that Haruno Sakura used the wood release technique that she was previously held under investigation for using before, correct?” 

Sasuke wanted nothing more than to smack the smug grin sitting on this guy’s face. Placating him with these ridiculous questions they already knew the answer to was affronting. Who did they think they were fooling with this act? 

“Get to the point,” Sasuke barked. 

The other ninjas in the room shifted, their hands reaching for their weapons at Sasuke’s tone. The teenage boy couldn’t care less. If it came down to it, he would fight them all. Injury or not. He was tired of being slighted. 

The ninja questioning him put a peaceful hand up and the other ninjas relaxed their stances. Sasuke rolled his eyes. 

“Alright, Sasuke. I won’t beat around the bush. We want to know if you think Sakura, with her new ability and obvious disdain for following rules, is a potential threat to Konoha’s safety? Would her and her teammates possibly be willing to release village techniques to others for some type of gain?” 

This had to be the stupidest question he’d ever heard of. Did they even know Sakura? How would a girl from a family with no ninja history even know the first thing about committing treason?! Her and her friends looked like nervous wrecks the entire mission. The way they clung to each other was weird. It was as if they wouldn’t be able to survive without one another. Not to mention, from the way they ate at the mission’s lunch, they’d never have the energy to even commit a crime if they wanted. He knew Sakura had been under investigation, but accusations like these were coming from completely out of left field. 

“There’s nothing in the history of me knowing Sakura that would suggest anything as serious as that,” Sasuke replied with a bit too much bass in his voice. “Nor her teammates.” 

The interviewer took in Sasuke’s statement carefully. He could see the ninjas around the room passing each other secret glances. The interviewer looked back at Sasuke with a huge smile. 

“That’s good to hear, Sasuke. To guarantee your belief in this admission, you will be her permanent guard until further notice.”  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Yamato dropped onto the familiar platform of the Root building. Danzo stood menacingly before him. His hand gripped his cane tightly. His lone, visible eye squinted in disappointment. 

“Did anything come of your ‘training’ with the Hokage’s brat?” 

Yamato shook his head. Really, what were they trying to find out about this teenaged girl? 

“No. She has caught onto everything fairly quickly. I think she could be a very valuable resource to the village in the future.” 

Danzo’s grip on his cane tightened. Yamato watched as the muscles in his jaw tightened. He figured Danzo must have some ulterior motive for the way he was mobilizing around this girl. He didn’t believe that it was just his hatred for the Senju woman alone that was causing all this distress. 

“I’ll trust your judgement. I recently sent out some goons to attack that brat and her team on a mission to test her loyalty. She used the wood technique, so now she’s being held captive in Kumo for questioning. I will have you go there under the guise of protecting the jinchuuriki to watch her. Report any suspicious behavior you find.” 

With that, Danzo dismissed him. As he watched his mentor walk away, Yamato ran his hands down his face completely exasperated. Why was he stuck babysitting some child?


	16. Return

After that little escaping mishap, Sakura, Jinora, and Karui were reunited. They had all used their medical skills to alleviate the headaches they received from whatever it was that was used to subdue them. Hugs, tears, and whispers of thankfulness passed between them for the next hour. 

Sakura could tell that they were in Kumo. The familiar landscape, the hospital layout, and all the familiar faces proved so. The girls were shocked to find so many people from the international program gathered together after being released. 

The ANBU guards had hastily let them go. When they shared their entrapment stories, the trio had all broken out from their cells and given the ninja charged with releasing them hell. They laughed to hold back the tears. 

The trio was currently standing in the village center watching as people passed by. Familiar faces from around town greeted them amicably. It felt nice to be back together in a place that was so formative for their growth. 

They were on the lookout for Killer B when a heavyset woman came running towards them in an elaborately decorated green kimono. “Girls! Girls!” she panted as she ran them down with her arms flailing to and fro. 

The girls stopped in their tracks and watched as the woman approached them. Mrs. Yamabuki was a boutique owner who made posh clothes for the elite. On special occasions, she would create luxury ninja gear. It was completely unnecessary and often times so gaudy that it hindered movement. People indulged her anyway. 

She, much like Lady Jin, was another person that was hard to refuse. Speaking of Lady Jin, Sakura would have to make sure to check up on her soon. Mrs. Yamabuki was finally in front of them bent over and out of breath from her jog. 

Jinora moved over to the woman to gently pat her back. Mrs. Yamabuki gazed up at her with a smile after catching her breath. “Oh, I’m so happy you all are back!” the portly old woman cheered. “They took you all away so fast, I couldn’t even say goodbye properly.” 

The abrupt ending of the program had affected everyone greatly. Mission requests and completions had experienced a major halt in the wake of Team B’s investigation. Many people had become very fond of the international teams that the program created and refused to use other ninjas to complete their tasks. 

Another reason the council’s so angry with me. 

“You know, when you guys got caught up in all that controversy, a bunch of kids were sending in and signing all these petitions to reinstate the program and demanded for you guys’ release. It was so moving, it made me feel young all over again,” the shop owner drawled on as she looked off with a faraway stare. 

Sakura had learned about all of the aftermath of her capture from the guards that had released her earlier. Team B had started something they hadn’t even planned for. They’d thought of themselves as nothing more than three girls on a team. Somehow, they became a face of a movement in their time away. 

The underlying implications of those petitions went deeper than the trio’s relations to the ninjas they had met along the way. Many of the ninja a part of this program would not have gotten the opportunities to improve upon their ninja careers as they had through the program. This program gave them access to previously closed off, ancient documents including techniques that hadn’t been used in decades. That, along with other effective social infrastructures had people coming back in droves. 

“Oh! Before I forget! I planned a little surprise for you when you came back, but then everything happened so I couldn’t,” she rambled. Sakura rolled her eyes. She didn’t know why she was entertaining this woman. “I made some cute new outfits for you girls! Come back with me to my shop so I can show you!” 

She wasn’t really asking them. It was a demand. She had already grabbed all three of the girls’ hands and started walking. She kept rambling on about all the things that had happened while they were gone. The girls exchanged glances every now and then. They rolled their eyes at certain parts of the shop owner’s story. She could be full of herself when she wanted. 

More familiar faces passed them and laughed at their misfortune. Everyone knew that Mrs. Yamabuki wasn’t someone you wanted to cross paths with when you had something important to do. The woman was relentless in her pursuit to get you to do what she wanted you to do. 

The trip to the shop was exhausting, but they’d finally made it to the storefront. A sign saying she was on lunch break was hung up in the shop window. Mrs. Yamabuki unlocked her shop door while still holding onto all of their hands and led them in. She led them in to the back where only she and the other employees were allowed. 

No one was here besides them now, most likely because she’d lost most of her staff with the end of the international program. But mannequins with beautifully crafted clothes stood everywhere. Mrs. Yamabuki grabbed a pile of clothes from somewhere she’d disappeared to as they looked around and handed them pieces of clothing separately. She pushed them into dressing rooms and urged them to try on her new creations. 

Sakura held her articles of clothing up in disappointment. She should’ve known that this would happen. Most people held the same opinion as Ino about her clothing choices. She was a young girl with a great body who shouldn’t be afraid to flaunt it. It was hard to even find the words to explain to them why she chose to dress the way she did. 

Dread filled her as she replaced her comfortable sweat pants with a red miniskirt. The white waistband only reached so far, so you could still see her belly button. At least the miniskirt turned out to be a miniskort. The black shorts underneath eased the worried girl’s mind. 

The crop top is what really worried Sakura. It covered half of her forearm, so she wouldn’t have to worry about shaving that much, but it was out of her comfort zone. She was hoping that since the skort was already so short that she’d be able to have a large shirt make up for it. 

Shrugging off her baggy sweatshirt, Sakura yanked the crop top over her head. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she felt disconnected from her body. She felt nothing like herself. 

The last item was the pair of black boots that stretched up to just underneath her knee. They weren’t so bad, but she hated having her feet out. She’d switched to sneakers in her time away from Konoha and she really liked them. 

Sakura sighed. There was no way she could complain about this revised outfit anyway. Mrs. Yamabuki took precious time out of her schedule to craft this for her. She didn’t want to come across as ungrateful. 

“Girls! Are you done? Let me see you!” 

Sakura emerged from her dressing room trying to put on a brave face. She turned to see her other teammates in their new gear. They looked just as uncomfortable as her. 

Karui’s outfit had the same color scheme as her previous one. It now was just a mini dress that cut off midthigh and really form fitting. A nice, dark blue cape hugged her upper body nicely and stopped at her belly button. She wore the same thigh high black sandals as before. 

Jinora was wearing a skintight, yellow jumpsuit that extended into boots of the same color. A silver band wrapped around her torso. She looked like a super cool spy. 

The girls shared exasperated looks. Mrs. Yamabuki, oblivious to their inner turmoil, flitted around happily taking pictures and speaking highly of her seamstress abilities. A sweatdrop formed on the three girls’ foreheads. They would definitely have to keep their complaints to themselves.   
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....  
There were no words to describe how incredibly pissed off he was. 

Sasuke was settling into one of the many set aside rooms in the apartment complex nearest the Raikage tower. 

First, he got one of Itachi’s throwaway missions, then he becomes a glorified babysitter for a girl who’d made it very clear that she would want nothing to do with her former team if it was up to her. He didn’t know if it was bad luck or some type of delayed karma, but he was getting sick of having to pick up on other people’s slack. 

To make matters worse, the international program was being reinstated. This had nothing to do with Sasuke directly, but it affected his living arrangements. Most people shared fairly large apartment spaces together in groups of four. An exception was made for him to live in a single room as a result of his sham of a mission. 

The room was the size of a shoebox. If he turned too quick he’d face plant into a wall. He’d checked earlier just to make sure, but his bathroom and bedroom were the same size. The narrow corridor he walked in and out of to get to either room was enough to trigger anyone’s claustrophobia. 

Sasuke unpacked the last of his belongings into the measly dresser they’d given him. If he were one to show emotions freely, people would be able to tell that he was humiliated. It seemed like there was always someone trying to lowball him. 

Sasuke exited his underwhelming apartment. He was met with the hustle and bustle of jovial ninja who were all reuniting with each other. Smiles were shared, hugs exchanged, and there were squeals of joy coming from everyone. His lip curled in disgust. He wouldn’t make it here. This was worse than having to sit through Naruto’s endless rambles about ramen or his tirades about his pursuit to finally best his rival. 

Making it to the elevator proved to be harder than it looked. Fighting his way through all the people rejoicing was hard. He had been nudged and pushed around more times than he could count. The elevator was crowded with people moving in their belongings. It rank of sweat and wood. It was boiling hot inside of it to boot. He was relieved to finally get off of it. 

Sasuke was supposed to be heading in the direction of Sakura’s team’s apartment. For some reason, they had been able to negotiate with the Raikage a deal that allowed them to stay in a fancy apartment building nearest the hospital. From what he’d heard, most of the people living there were monied. How the hell they’d negotiated such a deal was beyond him. 

It was a stretch to make it there. There weren’t as many businesss stands as there were in Konoha, but the streets were still pretty full. The streets were teeming with even more happily reunited ninjas than that god forsaken building he’d just left. He struggled through the crowd angrily, growing more pissed by the minute. 

Sasuke finally reached the building where Sakura’s team was assigned and wanted nothing more than to curse. It looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. The building had plexi-glass that allowed you to see who boarded the elevator from outside of it. The pathway up to it was nicely trimmed with bushes, low cut grass, and exotic flowers. There were large fountains featuring beautifully crafted statues inside. The inside of the building was even more fascinating. From the linoleum lined floors to the gold encrusted walls, these people were living in the lap of luxury. If Sakura was going to be staying in this building, why couldn’t they reserve a room for him in here, too? How was he even supposed to guard her like this? 

Sasuke walked up to the register. When he asked for Sakura, he was promptly told that she wasn’t in right now and to meet her at the hospital if he really needed her. Sasuke grumbled to himself as he walked out the door. This “mission” would be the death of him.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Everything about this situation was weird. 

Sakura made a point to keep her eyes from wandering as she cleaned test tubes, beakers, and wiped down surfaces with high grade disinfectant wipes. 

Today was another late shift at the hospital as she’d become accustomed to. It was almost 11 o’clock and she was about to head out for her comfortable apartment. She was thankful that this shift wouldn’t have her staying into the wee hours of the morning as they usually did. 

Today was pretty good. She’d immediately gotten back in contact with her therapist and scheduled an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. They would be meeting up tomorrow morning with their beloved sensei Killer B to train and just bask in the warmth of each other’s presence. Her hospital schedule was also being re-regulated to fit the new negotiated terms. 

Sakura was excited to learn about the kind of day that Karui and Jinora had. There was just one thing about this entire day that had bothered her. 

Sasuke. 

It wasn’t like she hated the guy or anything, but his presence made her uneasy. He was assigned as her guard indefinitely and she could see the irritation etched all over his face. He didn’t want to do it and Sakura wasn’t in the business of forcing him to. She’d learned long ago that there was nothing in her power that she could do to make the brooding boy happy. All her displays of affection or kindness were met with ruthless cruelty. She wouldn’t waste her time trying to appease him ever again. 

When the last of the materials were done being cleaned, Sakura gathered her belongings and walked out of the doctor’s office. Sasuke, with his hands clenched together and his back hunched over, was sitting in a spare chair outside of the door. His head snapped up when he heard her footsteps. 

Sakura held her messenger bag closer to herself. She was dreading this interaction. Subconsciously, she’d been avoiding him all this time. She was surprised when he sat next to her at her welcome back party in Konoha. She didn’t think Lady Jin’s mission would last that long, so she’d kept away from him. But now, everything seemed out of whack. 

Sasuke rose from his seat and headed towards the exit without sparing her a glance. Sakura followed behind him cautiously. He was in one of his moods again. He was standing outside the building waiting for her with his foot tapping impatiently. 

She gave him a once-over with a scowl. She was just as unhappy about their arrangement as he was. At least she had the manners to hide her disdain. 

He saw her come out and started walking ahead of her again. Sakura wanted nothing more than to slap the shit out of him. 

“You know; you don’t have to stay for my hospital shifts. They usually go pretty late into the night,” she exclaimed from a distance. “I wouldn’t want you to miss out on your beauty sleep.” 

Sasuke stopped in his tracks and faced her. Sakura was still standing fairly close to the hospital with her arms folded in dismay. She didn’t have time to deal with his childish anger. Not again. 

In a moment’s time, he had flash stepped next to her and pulled her forearm roughly as he speed walked. Sakura was barely able to move her feet coherently without tripping over herself. 

“My job is to monitor you at all times,” he hissed. “This can all go by much more easily without you talking to me.” 

Sakura stumbled when Sasuke suddenly let go of her hand. They were standing in front of her luxurious apartment building. She raised her hand to slap him, but he grabbed it before she could make impact. Sakura recollected herself and faced him head on with a deep scowl. 

“I was just trying to make your “job” easier,” she snapped. 

He watched her with squinted eyes. Sakura was very familiar with that look. He always did it right before he said something disrespectful. Unbeknownst to him, she’d beat him to the punch. 

“I’m sure Itachi would’ve understood me just fine.”  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
It was a little bit past midnight when Team B snuck out of their luxury apartment to a basement on the ground floor of the building. A long kept secret that existed before the emergence of this new building that now served as an escape for Kumo’s newest residents. 

It was a long walk down to the locked kitchen. Jinora used her former klepto skills to unlock the padlock holding the door closed. ‘Twas quite a feat to see. 

Further in, on the floor in front of the trash chute was a huddle of badly arranged tiles covered in whatever the slime of today’s food was. Jinora, with a pinched nose and a twisted face, toed the soiled tiles away with her perfectly manicured foot in her strappy, gold heels. The wooden door lifted open to let them down into an underground tunnel. 

The trio lowered themselves down the drawn ladder. The vibrations of the loud music reverbed off the mud walls. The rocky floor made it extremely hard for the girls to walk in heels. 

Sakura was still peeved about earlier with Sasuke. He always made something out of nothing. Couldn’t he be considerate of her feelings for once? 

She adjusted the straps of her silky, white dress. She wouldn’t let Sasuke ruin her night. She and her friends were headed out for a night of hard partying. As they got closer to the party’s entrance, the lights from the room flashed against the walls. 

A tall, lean figure emerged from the wide, double doors. The figure turned towards them with a wide smile and open arms. “AAAAHHHH! THE PARTY’S FINALLY ARRIVED!” 

Giggles flew all around as they rushed into each other’s arms. It felt really good to be surrounded by familiarity. Especially with people as reckless Inuki. 

Inuki reminded Sakura of Haku, the young boy they’d – well, her teammates - had fought while she attended to the bridge builder. They had that androgynous look about them that was so alluring. The balanced energy of the feminine and masculine really came together to balance one extremely captivating being. 

The makeup they usually wore only made the mystery surrounding them even more enthralling. They preferred outlining their features with bold colors instead of contouring traditionally with foundation. Sometimes, they highlighted their cheekbones with bold splashes of pink that brought out their supple cheekbones and complemented their sleek, black bob. Tonight, however, they settled with pink eyeliner that formed a heart near the ends of their eyes and dramatic black eyeliner on the lower eyelash that faded into a soft gray glitter that covered their cheeks. It made them look like they had been crying, but in an aesthetically pleasing way. 

Inuki had been one of the first people that Sakura had become close with in the beginning of her settling into Kumo. They were really fun to be around and full of raw, sometimes unwanted wisdom. Karui reached over to give them a kiss on the cheek. 

“So good to see you, Inuki,” Karui chirped. Inuki gave one of their signature sly smirks. 

“Likewise. You look scrumptious in your two piece.” 

Karui giggled playfully as she made a show of twirling around to show her rose embroidered outfit. Sakura was sure she had the goofiest lovestruck look on her face as the girl before her twirled around flirtatiously. 

Inuki caught Sakura’s eye and smirked. They grabbed her hand and lead them into the crowded underground basement chocked full of sweaty, dancing teenagers. 

“Come with me. I’ll do you guys’ makeup.”

The crowd was intense. Everybody and anybody was shoved up against each other in every corner. Between body odor, glitter, and smoke, the gang wasn’t sure how they were able to push themselves through it all. 

Along the mud encrusted walls were doors that led to small rooms. Most were occupied by those doing drugs while others were full of friends just hanging together amicably. 

Finding an empty room was proving to be exhausting. After ten minutes of no luck, Inuki finally opened the door to an empty room. 

They switched on a light that casted a purple glow all over the room. There was a seedy looking mattress with no headboard plopped down in the middle. A small, dusty dresser with a large mirror was set aside not too far from it. Karui ran over to the dresser and fixed her makeup in the mirror. Sakura watched carefully as Karui decked her face in silver glitter and rhinestones. 

A hand shot out to tug Sakura. She looked up to see a smirking Inuki. She blushed redder than a tomato. They walked over to the bed and patted an empty spot. 

“Sit.” 

She complied without resistance. She allowed herself to fall back on the bed with her arms spread out wide. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Jinora holding Karui’s head back as she applied glitter generously all over cheeks. 

Inuki brought their legs onto the bed and straddled themselves over Sakura’s crotch. With a makeup bag handy, they searched through numerous tools and put them in a neat showcase row. 

“How do you want your makeup?” 

“Like yours.” 

“I don’t think you’re ready for something like that,” they chuckled light-heartedly. 

They lowered themselves down and applied the brush dabbed with a pale blue eyeshadow underneath and around her eyes. The constant dabbing was calming. It wasn’t hard to get lost in her thoughts after a while. Inuki’s steady breathing and watchful eyes also helped to keep her in place. Sakura closed her eyes and allowed the background noise of the party to overwhelm her senses. 

She didn’t notice when Karui and Jinora made a break for the dancefloor. She awoke from her mini-nap to see Inuki still dabbing away at her face. They looked so concentrated despite all that was going on outside of the door. 

“I see you’re still chasing after Karui.” 

“Shut up!” she barked back in embarrassment. 

Their breakup was still a touchy subject even a year later. Neither one of them liked to bring it up and avoided the discussion at all costs. Inuki knew that and felt like being an asshole anyway. 

“Just admit you still like her!” 

“What does it matter if we can’t be together again?” 

“I thought you said the breakup was mutual…” 

Sakura sighed, “Yeah…I know. But it’s more like it had to be for the sake of the team or we wouldn’t have been able to complete any missions.” 

Inuki whistled. “Wow. That’s rough, buddy.” 

Inuki rose from their straddling position and dusted themselves off. They reached a hand out to which Sakura took and was hoisted out of bed. They both laughed, the tension immediately eased. 

“Well…what’s going on with you now? I heard you’re on 24/7 watch by the ANBU.” 

Sakura rolled her eyes. This night was to escape the nightmare that was Sasuke. She hated even having to bring him up. 

“Yeah. I got stuck with this bastard I used to share a team with back home,” she scoffed. “I got in an argument with him earlier.” 

“Oh! I think I saw that guy earlier with you at the hospital. He’s the one with the dark hair and eyes to match and a nice body, right?” 

Sakura pretended to gag much to Inuki’s amusement. “Yeah. That sounds like him.” 

“Total hottie. Why were you guys even arguing? I doubt I’d be able to focus around him enough to hold a grudge.” 

Sakura turned to hide her blush, “Tch. It was a really dumb argument, but he always manages to make mountains out of mole hills.” 

“Hmmm,” Inuki hummed with a raised eyebrow. 

Sakura felt her blush deepen. She knew something was afoot with a glance like that. 

“Sounds to me like you used to like him.” 

“Oh, fuck off! That’s beside the point!” 

They both laughed as they exited the room together into the liveliness of the party.


	17. Back To Normal

Last night was a dream, but it was back to business. It was finally the morning of the next day. The girls had been up most of the morning squealing in delight at what would happen in just a few hours. It was their first official day back as a team. Once they met up with Killer B-sensei, everything would click back into place. 

Karui was slipping into her new uniform with a newfound confidence. The uniform made her uncomfortable at first, but now, she was finally finding comfort in her own body. For so long, it had been a symbol of extreme discomfort and violence that she couldn’t find the courage to look at herself in the mirror. This new outfit made her face her fear of her body head on and love herself as is. She tied the scarf holding her Kumo headband on and smiled into the large vanity mirror she stood in front of. Today was going to be a great day. 

Karui, Sakura, and Jinora met up in the common area. It felt totally bizarre to be doing their normal routine again. That month and some change they’d spent apart felt like a lifetime ago. They gabbed endlessly as they exited the apartment building. The nobles and other elites that lived alongside them spoke cheerily about their girlish innocence. It was nice to see young people so jovial in the midst of everything that was happening. 

They headed towards a large brick building near the center of the village. This was the school recently built as a center for further education for ninjas up to age 18. The raikage took into consideration multiple kages concerns of early death of ninjas and implemented classes that would bring the death rate down. 

The cacophony of noise inside consisted of other ninja around their age speaking to each other in excited shouts. The trio greeted others as they passed through the corridors of the building. A set of tall, blue lockers came up and the girls opened their own simultaneously. 

A single sheet of paper floated from all their lockers onto the ground. They reached down to pick up their papers and read it over thoroughly. A smile formed on Karui’s face. Killer B had special allowance to take them out of classes today under the guise of ‘intensely needed training’. 

A flash of light and a puff of smoke filled the crowded corridor. The smoke parted to reveal none other than their beloved sensei – Killer B. A mini reunion took place in the middle of the hallway. People passing by parted respectfully, watching the four embrace each other as if they would never see one another again. The embrace had gone on long enough and Killer B teleported them all to their favorite training spot. 

“It feels great to be back, sensei!” Sakura exclaimed. 

Karui could hear the sincerity in her words. The time apart had been rough for all of them. Being together again felt like the pieces of what used to be were finally coming together. 

Killer B ruffled her hair playfully. “It’s great to see my team again,” he replied honestly. 

Weariness hung onto every syllable. Killer B had made them aware that he was a jinchuuriki the moment he was assigned to be their teacher. It was something that Kumo’s council thought was reckless, but Raikage A backed him up fully. 

Being a jinchuuriki was hard. He’d spent most of his life alone. Had it not been for the Raikage, Killer B would be truly alone. Most already assumed him to be a criminal because of the beast sealed inside of him. Karui couldn’t imagine the interrogation he’d gone through as a result of Sakura’s fluke. 

“Let’s get warmed up,” he said clapping his hands together. 

Karui watched as Sakura and Jinora unloaded their bags. Jinora had that silent smile she was known for on her face. No matter how hard she tried to keep her emotions at bay, even she couldn’t contain her excitement. Karui giggled at the sight. Sakura was pulling out her weapons happily. Karui and Sakura hadn’t really spoken about anything that had happened to one another. They were both avoiding the conversation. Karui thought it was for the best. She wasn’t ready to spark up another dreadful conversation about why their relationship had ended. 

“Sakura,” Jinora called out. Sakura perked up from searching through her bag. Jinora gestured to an obscure place in the surrounding area. “Is he gonna be here the whole time?” 

Sakura rolled her eyes and shrugged. Karui figured that they must be talking about Sasuke. She thought he was only here for their recent mission. Plans must have changed because Sakura looked visibly annoyed just talking about his presence. 

“Don’t worry about him. He’s my permanent guard until further notice, so he’ll be following us everywhere,” Sakura scoffed. The topic was dropped immediately. 

Training, however, went just as smoothly as Karui remembered it. It was nice to be in their element again. The drills were familiar and comforting. Killer B went into his hybrid jinchuuriki/human formation and lashed at the girls with his tentacles. The trio ran up his tentacles and started in on their offense. 

Jinora threw her air blasts in precise, accurate jets. Sakura, with her chakra concentrated at her fingertips, used chakra scalpels to penetrate the rapidly growing tentacles. Karui swiped her sword through the air, revved up one of her lightning jutsus, and coated her sword with piercing, hot lightning. She swiped her sword in Killer B’s direction with all her might. 

Killer B disappeared just as the lightning was about to make contact. The trio were suspended midair and suddenly crashing to the ground at breakneck speed. Jinora summoned a whirlwind that scooped them all up just before they touched the ground. 

With their footing in order, they ran towards the nearest water source available and found their sensei taunting them with his tentacles. They powered chakra to their soles and skid across the water like ice skaters. 

Killer B waited for them with his tentacles ready to strike. Just as the girls came in range, his tentacles shot out an inky substance obscuring their view. Karui, fed up with the cat and mouse game, charged up another bolt of lightning, attached it to her sword, and plunged the weapon into the body of water. The girls jumped up just in time to save them, but their sensei wasn’t so lucky. His body shook with the pain of electric shock. 

Karui ran over to him calling out his name frightened. Sakura and Jinora followed close behind her. The hachibi recoiled until there was nothing but their sensei shivering on the ground by himself in pain. As the girls drew closer, Killer B looked at them, smiled, and disappeared again. Karui almost cursed. She was getting rusty if she was falling for his old tricks again.   
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Sakura’s therapy appointment was off to a bad start. She was already late because training had lagged a bit behind. She was definitely in need of more training because that time apart and being unable to go on missions had caused her to regress. She would be fitting more training time into her schedule from now on. 

There was also the time she had to take get in a shower before coming. There was no way she could be in and out of the shower after the training session they’d had this morning. 

Now, she was sitting in her therapist’s office 15 minutes late with a goofy smile plastered on her face. Her therapist didn’t look impressed, but shrugged it off to start their appointment. 

“It’s been a while hasn’t it?” the older woman started. 

Sakura fidgeted with her hands and looked all around the room for a distraction. Her eyes went from the fully stocked bookshelves, to the complicated patterns of the carpet, to the silver plaque on the desk that read Dr. Kin. 

Sakura looked up at Dr. Kin shyly. She was a kind, but fair woman in her late thirties with short, mousy brown hair and glasses. She was of average build with a bit of calf muscle from wearing high heels all the time. 

Dr. Kin adjusted her glasses waiting for Sakura’s answer. “It’s nice to see you again,” Sakura replied shyly. 

Dr. Kin smiled as she restacked a few folders in her hand. “How was it? Being back in Konoha?” 

Sakura ran her fingers through her hair, completely exhausted. 

It was hell. That’s the truth. 

“Everything’s…different.” 

“Different?” Dr. Kin perked up with enthusiasm. 

The woman laid down her stack of folders and placed her chin on her now folded hands. Sakura could feel the creeping suspicion that they were about to dive into some deep within the first five minutes of meeting. 

Damn. She’s good. 

“When I returned, I just felt this great shift between myself and my hometown. Like, the village has changed, but I just felt so different when I got there.” 

Dr. Kin considered the young girl’s words for a moment. She made agreeable sounds in the right places as Sakura spoke at length about everything that had transpired in her absence. Sakura felt so vulnerable. She couldn’t stop the word vomit that fell from her lips. She wasn’t aware that she even had this much to say about her return to Konoha in the first place. 

“Did you schedule an appointment with a therapist in Konoha?” the doctor asked just as Sakura took a final breath from her word vomit. 

“…No,” she admitted like a naughty child. 

“Why not?” Dr. Kin questioned with an innocent head tilt. “Konoha has a mental health care system in place, doesn’t it?” 

“Well…yes, but…not to the caliber of Kumo a-and especially not you,” Sakura stumbled. 

Dr. Kin smiled sweetly and giggled. Sakura was sure she looked just as flustered as she felt. Nervousness lead her to giving out unnecessary compliments. 

“I’m flattered, Sakura. But you should’ve still reached out to some professional in your village. From what you’ve recounted to me of your experiences, it sounds like you could’ve fared better with a professional to talk to,” Dr. Kin disparaged. 

Sakura looked down at her kneading hands in shame. Yes, she could’ve reached out to someone in Konoha, but she’d already spilled her guts to this woman about her constant feelings of inadequacy and her parents’ refusal to accept her career. Rehashing that to a new person, especially someone who would know exactly who she was talking about, scared her. 

“I didn’t expect to stay in Konoha for very long. I thought it’d be pointless to start over with someone new.” 

“Sakura,” Dr. Kin sighed as she removed her glasses and put a hand to her temple. “You’re avoiding something. We’re going to find out what together, but what you did to yourself was completely irresponsible. You banked on returning to Kumo in hopes of being able to speak to me again, but what if the investigation had lasted longer? Tsunade was very lucky to be able to get you out so fast and even have you working. I’m sure she had paperwork out the wazoo to fill just to get you somewhere with the other villagers. You’re still being monitored for a mission you deemed ‘harmless’. You admitted to me that you had thoughts of relapsing. You also shared that you were without your medication for weeks at a time. I would go on to say that this is all self-harm. It’s not just you putting a kunai to your wrist. You knowingly kept yourself from seeking the help that you needed. I have to ask Sakura. What are you avoiding?” 

Sakura looked at her therapist with tears forming in her eyes. Putting everything into perspective made it all sound so much more grave than she remembered it as. She wanted to cry right in that office. Maybe ripping her hair out would do her some good. But in the end, all she could give was a feeble “I don’t know.”  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Sasuke laid on the bed in his laughably small apartment and watched as the lights changed from behind his curtain. There was some type of celebration happening outside. He couldn’t bring himself to care. There was nothing to celebrate as far as he was concerned. 

He was trapped here babysitting the most annoying girl that he’d ever known and she couldn’t even spare him a simple thank you for all his troubles. Is this really what he spent years hoping for her to return for? 

With Sai, Sasuke could tune him out. The guy was a nonfactor and he’d never accept him into his life. He’d cemented that idea the evening he insulted him and made light of his entire clan’s fortune. The bastard was lucky to still be alive. 

But Sakura…Sakura was different. She found space in every vacant spot in his mind. In her absence, he found that he remembered every small detail of her. The way her lips turned downwards when she pouted, the way she furrowed her eyebrows when she was in deep thought, or how she smiled whenever she saw him. He was the light of her life at one point. Now it seemed that she couldn’t spare him a glance. 

It ate him up inside. Nights like this when he was left with nothing but his thoughts, he’d overanalyze every interaction he’d had with people he dealt with all his life. Sometimes it was Naruto, other times it was his father, most times it was Itachi, the man he knew nothing about. Just when he felt that he understood his older brother, the man would slip out of reach of his fingertips and recloak himself in a new disguise. The mystery surrounding him only made Sasuke want to uncover his brother’s secrets more. 

Sasuke couldn’t remember ever having to go through these hurdles when dealing with Sakura. Now it was all he could do. He knew nothing about her in retrospect. He’d written her off as some lovesick girl with no capacity or motivation to become a ninja other than wanting to be close to him. He shook her off at every opportunity possible. Never letting her on to anything that involved taking a deeper dive into his psyche. 

She tried anyway, but failed miserably every time. But something had shifted in their time apart. Where longing stares and smiles used to fill up every moment of their interactions, there was now avoidance. In the beginning, he’d chalked it up to being busy with investigation procedures. Tsunade had made a big deal about her not being able to speak with them for long as a result of it the first day they’d seen her after being released from interrogation. 

Ino’s impromptu welcome back celebration was even odder to him in retrospect. He’d sat right next to her for the entirety of the meal and she hadn’t tried to speak to him once. Sakura was a kind girl who never set out to make people feel alienated, but the distance between them had never felt so great. 

She let Naruto sit in her lap for the entirety of the meal without complaint! Something she would’ve slapped him silly for years prior. There was a change in their relationship. Those smiles she’d reserved for Sasuke were now solely for Naruto. All her warmth and affection had been transferred to someone more receptive to them. 

It wouldn’t have bothered Sasuke so much if it wasn’t a reminder of the growing disparity between he and Naruto’s strength. At every glance, Naruto was getting stronger. Closer to his goal than Sasuke had ever envisioned. And there he was, still fighting to claw himself out of his brother’s shadow, fighting for his father to respect him, and becoming something he could be proud of. 

Sasuke was falling behind once again. Another person slipping out of his reach. Losing the one constant person in his life to his rival only added salt to the wound. Sasuke ran his hand over his stomach. There was a pitfalling feeling in his stomach that seemed unending. He was losing everything that made him who he was…and he wasn’t sure that he could get what he used to be back.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Despite all the glitz and glamour of their upscale apartment, the door still creaked like something out of a horror movie. 

Karui was standing behind the island of the kitchen as she absentmindedly read the labels on the back of spice containers. Jinora had tried to sneak into the apartment as inconspicuously as possible, but she hadn’t factored in that Karui might still be up. Jinora, realizing that she had been caught, unloaded her satchel onto the kitchen counter. 

“Where’s Sakura?” 

Karui nodded her head in the direction of the bathroom. A few moments passed where all they listened to was the steady pitter patter of the shower water. 

“You’re up pretty late,” Jinora commented. 

“I’ve been restless for the past few days, so I’m just staying up until I collapse or something.” 

Jinora made a short snorting sound that resembled a laugh. Karui hid her laugh behind her dainty hand. Jinora stretched like a cat. 

“Uwah, I’m so tired.” 

“From what? You and your boyfriend been going at it for most of the day? I didn’t see you at the hospital.” 

The shy girl’s face lit up in heat. She grabbed the nearest throw pillow and repeatedly whacked Karui with it senselessly. 

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! You and Sakura are so gross!” 

Karui half-heartedly held her hands in defense as the pillow assault went on, but was hit with a few strays as Jinora continued. 

“Did I miss something?” Sakura said with a towel in hand as she patted her hair dry. 

Karui ran over to hide behind Sakura. “Jinora’s mad because I was wondering why she slacked off from her shift at the hospital to spoon her boyfriend,” Karui explained in between giggles. 

Much to Jinora’s dismay, Sakura joined in on the ridiculing laughter. 

“It’s not funny,” Jinora whined. 

Sakura rolled her eyes. “Oh come on. We’re just teasing. Not everyone can call out of work to go cuddle up with their boyfriend all day.” 

The night ended in a flurry of pillows and giggles.


	18. Chapter 18

It took two weeks, but it was better than nothing. Sakura and Sasuke were finally on…somewhat amicable terms. Guarding her was much easier. She spent most of her time just cleaning up equipment rather than participating in major medical events because she was still on probation. 

The Kage summit had been running the past few weeks and there was still no final decision. Sakura couldn’t spend much time thinking about. The more she worried, the worse things got. 

Sasuke was sitting in one of the spare seats of the Sakura’s temporary doctor’s office dozing in and out of sleep. Whenever his head drooped too low, he’d scare himself out of his lethargic stupor. Sakura giggled every time. She’d never seen Sasuke look so…normal. 

In all her time of worshipping him or putting him on a pedestal, she’d never considered that he was a normal boy who did normal things like sleep or fall. She’d only ever imagined him as this perfect being who did nothing but train and make girls swoon. 

No wonder he never liked me. 

Sakura shuddered at the thought. It was still a sore spot. Just thinking about his blatant disdain for any of her affections towards him hurt. Now that she could reflect on her behavior and consider Sasuke’s point of view, she was an annoying brat. Probably even worse than Naruto sometimes. The scariest part was that she never realized it in the moment. 

Sakura grabbed her satchel from the desk and hung her doctor’s coat on a rack near the door. Sasuke, as if he could sense that it was time to go, jumped out of his seat with renewed vigor. There wasn’t a trace of sleep left in his eyes. 

He walked over to the door and moved Sakura out of the way so that he could hold it open. She blushed at the gesture and walked out accordingly. Sasuke traveled close behind her. 

Sakura made a point to face away from him. The blush rising on her cheeks wouldn’t die down. That old feeling of butterflies in her stomach rose again. She placed her hand on her stomach to soothe the feeling away. It had been years since this happened. She was ashamed of herself. All it took was him opening the door to bring back those old memories of how she used to be? 

She slapped her hands on her cheeks. Sakura had spent the past few years in rotating feelings of anger, despair, and confusion. There were some days, especially before she left, where she’d sit in her room letting her anger fester. Thinking of how cruel Sasuke could be always brought her to that point. She could move a mountain for him and he still would just scowl at her. No matter how much she pandered to him, the guy just never saw her as anything more than a deadweight. 

But then the despair would kick in at how totally unremarkable she was. Being placed on Team 7 was torture. Two star teammates and an infamous teacher that would obviously do nothing but outshine her did nothing for her self-esteem. Sakura recalled the days when she would just go home and cry about her misfortune. In those moments, she wished Ino had been placed on her team instead. Maybe then she would’ve improved faster. 

Her parents weren’t any better at consoling. In fact, their last conversation before she’d left recently had gone nowhere. They were impressed with what she’d been able to do, but still so disappointed that she wanted to continue being a ninja. Sakura frowned remembering how her mother tried to coax her into running the shop with her and having a normal life with them. 

She remembered the way her father emotionally resigned from the conversation long before it started. He was disappointed too. Sakura just wanted to break down and cry. 

The walk back to her apartment was wrapped in silence. Their footfalls were muted and even the usually noisy, excitable village was completely calm. It wasn’t long before she was standing in front of her apartment building with Sasuke standing by her side looking irritated as usual. 

“Goodnight,” she said before thinking twice about it. She scurried off before she could regret talking to him. The breezy night air carried his soft “goodnight”.   
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Tsunade was the happiest she’d been in weeks. The other kages – well, really just Onoki – were finally coming around to the idea that Kumo’s newly implemented policies were why ninjas were flocking back to the raikage’s village in droves. 

She had the opportunity to sit in on classes held in their new higher learning building. The courses focused on basic medical knowledge were extremely proficient in their teaching. The students were very engaged with the lecture and the raikage had brought up the statistics of how implementing these courses had a direct correlation with fewer grave injuries sustained on missions. 

Tsunade couldn’t wait to go back to Konoha and gloat about it to the council. She wanted to just rub the numbers in their face and tell them ‘Look how actually caring about your people leads to changing policy that help them in the long run!’ 

The course included basic medical care like disinfecting wounds, how to apply gauze, setting broken bones, etc. It was an introductory course that covered so much in a nicely planned out semester. This wasn’t the only health class they offered though. 

Sex education was a mandatory course for all the newest recruits. Tsunade thought it was a good addition. The life expectancy of a ninja was unfortunately very short. Life or death was an occupational hazard no matter your rank, so, most ninjas were reckless. It wasn’t unexpected for normal teenagers to have sex, so the rate for teenage ninjas was even higher. 

The sex education was very thorough from what Tsunade could tell. The course provided information on multiple forms of contraception like birth control, condoms, dental dams, and more. Condoms were provided for free in the hospital’s waiting room and all around the apartment building set aside for the program’s participants. The instructors taught about consent, rape, and provided resources for those who had been assaulted. 

Tsunade was thankful that this aspect was taken into consideration. Another reason kunoichi were so scarce was because the fear of sexual assault. It was another occupational hazard that she’d seen many women experience. Konoha really had no infrastructure that supported these victims and they usually suffered in silence. Many women had resigned as a result of their trauma while others kept away from becoming a ninja because of the threat of sexual violence. Kumo had 24-hour victim support services and better resources to make sure that victims could be rehabilitated. 

There were also courses related to genjutsu, taijutsu, and ninjutsu. Some were even so specific that they went by element type. Teachers worked with students to perfect already learned techniques and possibly create new techniques. Some even taught long forgotten techniques that other villages were surprised to see done in modern times. 

Kumo had a lot of things going for itself, but the most controversial thing was their stance on the LGBTQ+ community. Being a ninja meant that stealth was a must for their job. Being gay wasn’t something unheard of on the force, but most weren’t open for fear of ostracization from their peers or being relieved from their duties. 

Most were queer in silence. Kumo allowed them to have a voice. Gay marriage was legalized a little over a year ago in Kumo due to constant pressure from Kumo villagers and visitors from the program. It was signed into law that nothing could stop two people who loved each other despite gender, sex, orientation, etc. from marrying each other. This protection did not exist in other villages, big or small. 

Tsunade figured that this was the biggest reason many were eager about returning. Tsunade had known many queer ninjas in her time. Their interactions composed of mainly stolen glances and secret embraces. Many gay people signed up to be ninja because the occupation allowed them privacy that their normal lives didn’t. Implementing gay marriage may cause less people to feel they have to hide if she was able to pass the law in Konoha. 

She groaned at the thought. Something as harmless as implementing better teaching in Konoha was controversial, she couldn’t imagine the time she’d have with the council if she brought this issue up to them. 

The kages were all walking outside of the new school building together. The weather was nice. It had nothing on Konoha, but it was nice. Tsunade missed the neverending green of her village opposed to Kumo’s rocky, humid landscape. 

“You’ve done a fine job with your village, Raikage-sama. I could only wish to implement some of what you have in Kiri,” Mei acknowledged sweetly. The Mizukage had been receptive to all the improvements that Kumo made in their village. That was good. If she didn’t oppose anything, it would make it easier to make agreements regardless of the council in the future. 

“Implementing some of these practices in Suno would do us all some good. Our medical system is so far behind everyone else’s,” Gaara admitted. “Upper level classes focused on element type jutsus would be nice to see. Especially if there are village techniques that we would like to make sure continue to be used in the future.” 

Onoki huffed haughtily. Tsunade rolled her eyes. Despite every benefit presented to him, he just had to be the one dissenting opinion. 

“Letting a bunch of homosexuals run free is an affront to the sanctity of ninja history. This is an occupation for manly men, not sissies who want to cop a feel in between missions,” Onoki sneered. 

Tsunade felt herself about to explode. The raikage placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. Tsunade took a deep breath and backed down. Raikage A stood in front of Onoki and crouched down to his level. 

“Is there really any sanctity to the ninja profession when we send children off to die? We give them no protection, tell them to die with the weight of their village’s reputation on their shoulders, and then provide them with no safety nets when they come back from potentially traumatizing missions?” he asked in a gentle tone. 

Onoki folded his arms like a child and pouted. He didn’t have to accept anything he didn’t like. 

“I think the ninja world could use a change. They should feel that their leadership cares about them.”  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
The lecture was finally over. Sasuke finally felt the blush on his face subsiding. 

He had just come out of a sexual education class that gave a very graphic depiction of applying a condom. It wasn’t like he hadn’t done it before. He’d slept around a time or two with people he trusted, but it was just so jarring to see some fragile old woman giving insane details of putting a rubber on a cucumber. 

He wouldn’t have been so bashful about it if the other students had reacted in the same manner as him. No one flinched. He looked around during the entire class period to see fully engaged students taking notes and asking appropriate questions. He sat next to Sakura who didn’t spare him a glance. She was just as in tune to the lesson as the other students. 

It didn’t surprise him because she worked in the medical field and was probably used to having lectures like this, but it didn’t bring him comfort. Sasuke expected her to at least blush a time or two or sneak a glance at him as the lecture became more intense. But there was just nothing. Nothing at all. As he waited for her outside the door of the classroom, he realized the extent of the distance between them. 

“I have a hospital shift to go to next, but I’ll stay with you for your training course if you want,” Sakura piped up absentmindedly. 

Sasuke watched her adjust the last of her belongings into her bag. He noticed that she didn’t take the time to peer up at him as she spoke. Every interaction they shared was bare minimum communication. Nothing more, nothing less. 

“Ah,” he sighed.

They walked close together down the corridor. Their hands kept brushing together accidentally. Sakura held onto the handle of her messenger bag to counter this. A hollow feeling formed in Sasuke’s stomach. 

Getting into the classroom was a bit of a problem. Teachers were strict about schedules, so there was some explaining to do when Sakura arrived outside of her schedule norm. Once the matter was settled, she sat off in a corner somewhere, her nose deep into one of her medical books. The image brought on a nauseating wave of nostalgia. Just another reminder of the past that he couldn’t bring back. 

He made a place for himself in the classroom with a book he’d grabbed from one of the shelves and looked for chakra-type ninjutsus to work on. Sasuke and Orochimaru had been discussing methods to mesh his chidori with his kenjutsu. Nothing had come to fruition yet, but he was still working towards something. 

He read over a few theories and began to work the chakra needed for his signature technique in his palm. A few spectators gathered slyly around him. He noticed their stares but paid them no mind. He was used to attracting people’s attention. 

He tried to manipulate his chidori so that it morphed it into different shapes, but as soon as it started to branch out into another shape, the technique dissipated into a mini explosion. It scared the shit out of Sasuke, but his spectators didn’t seem to mind. They were actually fascinated by it. 

Sasuke peered over in Sakura’s direction. She was turning another page in her thick medical text. She hadn’t spared him a single glance in all the commotion. Sasuke returned his gaze to his book of theories. He had to work on his techniques more.


	19. Bitter Regards

Naruto was teeming with excitement. The commencement of the Kage Summit was finally here. They’d reached an agreement that he didn’t care to hear about, but it was all good because he’d see his teammates again.

Kakashi and Yamato were keeping him grounded by training with him occasionally. He had gotten angry, but concerned letters from his parents about his sudden leave of absence. He was sure that his mother would beat him silly when he came back, but he couldn’t worry about that now.

Naruto was bounding off of his own again with Kakashi and Yamato not far behind. All he heard Tsunade utter was permission to seek out his teammates and he dashed out of the room before she could finish her sentence. He wouldn’t allow anyone to put a damper on his exceptionally bright mood.

He could feel his teammates chakra within reach. He was coming up on a large body of water that surrounded the random patches of rocky shores sparsely placed everywhere. Purple octopus tails shot out from every direction. Three small figures flashed in and out of view as they climbed atop them.

Naruto stopped on a rocky surface a little ways away from them to observe. He heard Kakashi and Yamato’s footsteps fall in line behind him. Naruto had never seen Sakura’s new team before, so he didn’t know what to make of them. He saw a redheaded girl unsheathe her sword and form the seals for a lightning release technique. She concentrated the electric current to her fingertips and jutted them in the direction of the tentacle creature.

It dodged before the technique could land. He saw the girl curse and jump away in anticipation for the next move. While suspended in the air, a tentacle reached out and grabbed the redheaded girl by her ankle and started to swing her around violently. There were no screams. Only loud grunts as she tried to escape.

A brunette dressed in banana yellow came up on the rear and produced the hand seals for a wind release technique. She took in a sharp intake of breath and released earth shattering winds from her pursed lips. The tentacled creature flew back and hit the water like a skipping rock. Naruto held his hands up defensively from the splashes of water that reached him.

Still, it wasn’t enough to stop the creature. It retreated underwater without a trace. Naruto watched as Sakura and her team looked around the area apprehensively for the creature’s next hit. Excitement settled into his stomach. He was getting pumped just watching them.

The creature emerged from the water with dramatic flair. It rose high up in the air until its tentacles lashed out again, but for Sakura this time. Naruto watched as Sakura flipped away with catlike reflexes, dodging the attack just in time. She created an ice pathway on the body of water for herself to slide on gracefully. When she regained her footing, a tentacle slammed down onto the ice path she created and destroyed it.

Sakura leapt onto the tentacle and ran up until she was almost to the odd creature’s head. It tried to turn fast and knock her off with the sudden move, but Sakura leapt up just in time to rev her hand up for the finishing blow. Naruto couldn’t tell, but she was circling chakra to her fist. She was crashing back down faster than she anticipated and knew what she had to do. She interlaced her hands above her head and brought them down to smack the grotesque creature smack dab on the head.

As soon as the hit landed, the creature puffed away in a cloud of smoke to reveal a rapidly falling Killer B. The brunette created soft air currents to carry both Killer B and Sakura to the water’s surface safely. The redhead ran over to Sakura worried. Sakura and Killer B took a moment to catch their breath and looked up at each other with a smile.

“I think that’s enough for today, girls!” Killer B shouted.

The girls whooped in unison.

Naruto, finally over his initial starstruck-ness, made his way over to the team. “SAKURA-CHAN!”

Her head snapped in his direction so fast that he was sure she had whiplash. No matter. He was sure she knew his voice without even looking. Naruto ran towards her with his arms out. Sakura, with a resigned sigh, held her arms out in anticipation for his hug.

Just like their first reunion, they both almost fell from his crash impact of a hug, but Sakura was strong enough to hold them both up. He nuzzled her face like a cute pet and she just laughed, happy to see him again.

It probably would’ve went on longer if there weren’t spectators. Naruto cleared his throat and hopped off of his dear friend. It had been a while without contact between people his own age and Naruto was a very affectionate person. A blush hung on his cheeks as he toed away at tiny rocks on the ground. He felt a bit embarrassed and a little exposed with so many people being witness to…that. Thankfully, Sakura took the reigns as he knew her to always do, and started introductions.

“Naruto, Hatake-san, Yamato-san meet Killer B-sensei, Karui, and Jinora,” she said while gesturing in each person she’d listed direction.

As oblivious as Naruto, he didn’t miss the emphasis she put on sensei and Kakashi’s name in contrast. Kakashi, try as he might, could not hide the slight frown that shown in his eyes at the slight. Yamato stole a glance and fidgeted with his hands at the same time. There was something going on.

Naruto decided not to make a scene about it now. He’d be able to talk to Sakura or Kakashi alone and find out what was going on. Yamato’s eyes darted around for a moment as jovial greetings were exchanged.

“I thought Sasuke was tasked as your charge,” Yamato muttered in Sakura’s direction.

Naruto watched as the smile fell from her face. A slight grimace formed. Yeah. There was definitely something afoot.

“I’m sure he’s not very far from here. He has to guard me at all times,” she sassed. A deep bitterness latched onto every word. “He probably just doesn’t want to talk right now.”

Karui and Jinora shared a worried look. Naruto hated being out of the loop. He had to find out what was going on.

“We should all have lunch together,” he suggested enthusiastically. Awkward shuffling and glances passed between the group. This impromptu lunch date would be very interesting to say the least.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Nothing had been as painful as having to bear witness to this conversation.

The tiny café was actually very lively today. Albeit it was like was this most days, but it was extremely noisy today. Most people were off from missions and just happy to be in each other’s presence.

Sasuke recognized most of the people seated from his floor of the apartment complex. As joyous as everyone else was, the tension at his table was palpable.

He was sitting next to Naruto who was rambling off about pointless tidbits of his life to Sakura. She indulged him. He watched her smile, laugh, and joke along with him with more joy than he could remember her showing him in the past couple weeks.

He shoveled another spoonful of rice into his mouth. Sasuke was being irrational and he knew it, but having his rival one up him and the girl who uselessly pined after him for years give all her attention to him made Sasuke angry.

Aside from his own personal problems, he noticed that Sakura was actively avoiding Kakashi’s gaze. Sasuke remembered Sakura before she left. She was a friendly girl who always wore her emotions on her sleeves. He’d never known her to be anything but happy and when she was feeling any other way, she was easy to be pacified.

This new relationship she and Kakashi had confused him. Even if Sakura didn’t like someone – Naruto’s antics aside – she was never outright rude to them. Something had shifted between the two.

Sasuke brought his drink to his lips and slid his gaze over to Kakashi. The man looked drained. Not that there was much emotion to go on with his mask covering half his face, but he was obviously bothered by something. He kept sneaking glances Sakura’s way. Sometimes they were quick while others lingered for a few minutes. No one seemed to have noticed it because he just kept doing it.

“Where’d Karui and Jinora go?” the man he’d come to know as Killer B asked.

Kakashi fixed his glance towards the man. Sasuke could see the contempt working its way onto his face.

“Karui had a doctor’s appointment and Jinora said she wanted to spend time with her boyfriend,” she responded with a sickeningly sweet smile. That familiar hollow feeling found its way back into Sasuke’s stomach.

“So I can expect to see you all tomorrow for training?”

“B-senseeeeei!” Sakura whined playfully.

The teacher and the student shared a laugh between each other. It was brief, but Sasuke noticed the way Kakashi’s face tensed. He fidgeted with his utensils, only haphazardly moving them across the plate to make himself look unaffected. Sasuke thought that was the most pathetic he’d ever seen his teacher look.

Yamato tilted his head like a confused puppy. “Aren’t we still supposed to be training, Sakura?” the stoic man asked sincerely.

“Um…we can,” she hesitated.

Yamato nodded his head. He cleared his throat and focused his attention on Killer B.

“Y’know, I was talking to Kakashi-senpai. Sakura’s ability to pick up and master things quickly is something to marvel at.”

Killer B nodded his head good-naturedly. Sakura placed her hands on her blushing cheeks, half in embarrassment and half in pride.

“Ah,” Killer B started in humble agreement. “I’m glad to have her and all my girls. Being a teacher makes you realize how much you wanted someone else to teach you differently and gives you the chance to be a better person for the new generation.”

A loud clink emitted from a side of the table. Kakashi’s hand was bleeding. Remnants of what was once a tall, glass cup now laid on the table spread in microscopic pieces.

“Sorry,” the masked man said breathlessly after a moment of looking just as dumbfounded as the others around the table.

Yamato, frantic and unused to random displays of emotion, jumped out of his seat to get assistance. A server rushed over to clean up the mess. Another arrived with some emergency medical supplies for him to clean himself up.

“You should go get that checked up at the hospital, Hatake-san,” Sakura added with a slight edge to her tone. It bordered on antagonistic. “You might risk infection.”

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

No matter where you went, the hospital was just as daunting and suffocating as the one back home.

Thankfully, there were minimal shards stuck into Kakashi’s hand, so he’d be able to leave rather quickly. Still, sitting high up on a hospital bed holding his minor wound to his chest made him feel like such a child.

Yamato – looking just as frantic as before – rushed into the small hospital room with arms full of first aid materials. He was doting over Kakashi like a mother hen.

“Stop,” Kakashi said half-heartedly.

He sighed and let his shoulders sag in defeat. Yamato spilled the supplies onto the cot slowly. He watched his senpai carefully. The way his shoulders slumped, his lips pouted behind the mask, and his body slouched defeatedly.

“Is there something wrong, senpai?”

Kakashi shook his head half in denial and half out of guilt. He hadn’t even wanted to teach in the first place and now the one team he thought he’d done right by consisted of a replacement and a girl who wanted nothing to do with him. Of all the scenarios he’d worked out in his mind, he would’ve never been able to conjure this up.

Just as Yamato was about to fix his mouth for another question, the devil himself showed up at the door.

Killer B.

Kakashi felt the tenseness return to his muscles. An aching pain started in his chest and he had to clench it in order for the feeling to subside. The man didn’t look anything out of the ordinary for a ninja. He was tall with a large build, brown skin, cornrows, and eyes that hid behind shades. He usually wore a large sword strapped onto his back, but he’d left it somewhere in order to enter the hospital.

It was public knowledge that he was a jinchuuriki. Whether the raikage had approved of his actions to spread this knowledge or not were unknown, but he seemed harmless – way less…angsty than most jinchuurikis were known to be. He was in a few bingo books Kakashi had had the chance to look and he was regarded as very powerful.

How he became a teacher was something not even Kakashi could understand. Jinchuurikis weren’t even supposed to be known to the public nor were they allowed to engage in most public events out of fear of attack. Even excusing his relationship with the raikage wasn’t enough to push these questions aside because everyone knew how adamant councils in every village were about rules.

The man confused him in every way imaginable. That’s what made him even angrier. Kakashi knew he wasn’t a great teacher. He would never deny that. He hadn’t even wanted to become one in the first place. But this guy just came waltzing through the door and reaped all the benefits of his student’s accomplishments. He couldn’t stand for that.

“You left your wallet at the restaurant,” Killer B said. “Sakura saw it on the seat and asked if I could bring it to you.”

There it was. Her name again. It shouldn’t have rolled off this stranger’s tongue so easily. Who was he to speak of his student so familiarly?

“Yamato, can you excuse us for a moment?”

Yamato looked around nervously. The air had become unusually tense in the span of 30 seconds.

“But senpai-“

Kakashi lifted a hand in silent dismissal. Yamato trudged out of the room with his head hung low.

Kakashi and Killer B held long stares. Neither wanted to be the first to speak. Kakashi, with a long, drawn out sigh, shifted to a more comfortable position on the bed.

“You speak very fondly of Sakura,” Kakashi drawled out slowly.

Killer B shrugged his shoulders with a smile. The tenseness melted from his muscles. “She’s one of my precious students,” he said as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

Kakashi’s fists clenched. “She’s _my_ student,” a threatening tone colored the gray-haired man’s voice.

Killer B’s eyes widened in shock for a moment. He folded his arms against his chest and took a gander at Kakashi. The gray-haired man showed no signs of backing down.

“She _was_ your student,” Killer B stated firmly, a mocking lilt evident in his voice. “And from the tidbits of information I’ve gathered from her about you, her time as your student isn’t something she likes to reflect on.”

Kakashi jerked in painful remorse. So this is where this conversation was headed. He might as well go all in.

“You’ve only gathered ‘so little’ information as you stated before. There’s no way you can be sure of how she feels…about me or anyone else for that matter.”

Killer B lowered his arms and held them together behind his back as he paced around the room. Kakashi watched him carefully, his sharingan spiraling from behind the mask.

“You never saw the way she looked whenever just the mention of Konoha came up,” Killer B jabbed. “From your perspective, there was never anything wrong with your teaching methods. It worked for the rest of her team, so, you focused all your attention on the people you thought were better able to pick up on your lousy practices.”

Killer B found his way back to the edge of the occupied hospital bed. He slammed a hand down on one of the handles of it.

“You’re a lousy teacher. The only reason your kids were able to go on and become the ninjas they are today was because they had to seek out help on their own from other people,” Killer B hissed, sinking the final blow into Kakashi’s already weakened pride.

Kakashi’s mouth went dry. He suddenly had the urge to lick his lips. His heart was pounding fast in his chest. He’d opened up this can of worms and had been unable to handle the consequences. Killer B straightened up and cleared his throat.

“Take for example, I’m sure you’ve noticed because her academy records wrote that she had a potential for genjutsu. What did you do to make sure she was able to realize that skill?”

“I get it! I’m a terrible teacher and you’re the best she’s ever had!”

Kakashi was now standing up flailing his arms around in anger. He was completely out of character. The worst part was that he didn’t even care.

Killer B watched him carefully. His breathing was labored, every hair out of place, and color was leaving his cheeks. The man would pass out if he kept going on like this.

“I don’t get it…” the pale man started just below a whisper. “The one team I thought I’d done right by…and everything just exploded in my face.”

Killer B’s facial expression softened. He hesitantly put a reassuring hand on Kakashi’s shoulder. “Listen, I’m not saying that you’re the worst or that she’ll never like you, but being able to say that you didn’t always have her best interest at heart is a start. You were overwhelmed by her other teammates abilities, that’s understandable, but that doesn’t excuse your negligence towards her. You should try talking to her tomorrow.”

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Yamato was sure that Danzou had long since grown tired of his lackluster observances. It seemed like an eternity since he’d been stationed in Kumo to spy with little to write home about.

Nothing out of the ordinary ever happened. The raikage really didn’t have ulterior motives, there was no underlying current of animosity amongst the villagers, and the ninjas really did love being here. Even his observations of the former Team 7 – which he already knew were Danzou’s biggest targets – weren’t half as exciting as they had been described to him.

This distance that wedged itself between all its members was exhausting to witness. No wonder the girl had opted to spend time apart. There was no use trying to fix such a broken team.

His training times with her always so silent. She was pensive and always a bit sad. The dark haired Uchiha watching over her in the background was a brooding mess. It was hard to be around the both of them sometimes.

He’d heard of her infamous crush on the Uchiha from Kakashi, but he’d never considered the boy’s feelings towards her. Of course he’d assumed that the boy would hold resentment towards her, but the intensity of his gaze every time she was within range puzzled Yamato. What the hell was going on between these two?!

Naruto was easy to deal with. He had always been a simpleton, so any information Yamato needed regarding him could’ve been easily coaxed out with the promise of ramen. His senpai Kakashi was another story in itself. Yamato didn’t know he’d signed up to be a part of a soap opera!

Whatever Danzou was looking for, Yamato was sure he wouldn’t find. He’d have to cut through all this teen angst and drama before he ever got the answers he was looking for.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! I published this work on Fanfiction.net originally and now I'm adding it over here. Hope you guys like it!


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